Three overseas runners will take on the local contingent in the $1.5 million Invitational Group 1 Kranji Mile (1600m), open to overseas runners for the first time this year, at Kranji on Saturday.

SOUTHERN LEGEND and HORSE OF FORTUNE, both from Hong Kong, will be joined by OCEAN EMPEROR from New Zealand.

SOUTHERN LEGEND is trained by Caspar Fownes, well-known by Kranji racegoers for his heroics in three KrisFlyer International Sprints, twice with LUCKY NINE (2013 and 2014) and once with GREEN BIRDIE (2010). An Australian five-year-old by Not A Single Doubt, SOUTHERN LEGEND won four races (1000m to 1200m) in Australia when prepared by trainer Les Bridge before he was sold to Hong Kong where he won four races (1200m to 1600m), but probably ran his best race to-date when a gallant third to BEAUTY GENERATION in the Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on April 29.

HHORSE OF FORTUNE is a South African seven-year-old gelding who boasts nine wins, of which the first three came at his original career in South Africa, including the Listed Sophomore Sprint (1200m) at Kenilworth in 2013. The son of Stronghold then pursued his career in Hong Kong where he won his remaining six races for South African trainer Tony Millard, including the last two coming at Group 3 level, the Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse (1800m) in 2016 and the Premier Plate (1800m) in 2017.