Frankel's Soulcombe on Target for the Cups

Mark Smith - Saturday September 2

Soulcombe (GB) made a winning Australian debut in the Group III Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington last November, and the son of Frankel was back to that form in Saturday’s Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield.

That was impressive (image Scott Barbour/Racing Photos)

Ridden by Blake Shinn for Chris Waller, Soulcombe (GB) came with a weaving run to overpower Flash Flood (Night Of Thunder) by three-quarters of a length, with Jimmy The Bear (Jimmy Creed) the same distance back in third.

Soulcombe (GB) advances his record to five wins and a second from 12 starts with earnings of $571,056.

Advertisement

Assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth said the 5-year-old gelding would embark on a path to the Cups.

“We know it’s pretty much a mile short of his best, and he had a terrific turn of foot,” Duckworth enthused.

“He’s been trained out of the Macedon stable, so it gives us a bit of faith in the systems we’ve put in place there.

“We had Waverider Buoy win at Randwick straight out of Maceodon too, so obviously a credit to the team there, and it’s going to be an interesting Spring.”

“We’ll let Chris (Waller) plot a path. If there’s something worth going up to Sydney for, now that we know he’s capable over these shorter distances, it opens up many avenues. If he was just going to be an out-and-out two-miler, then obviously, you’ve got a set path.

“We’ll see how he comes out of it, but the logical thing would be to go to 2000; I’d imagine Caulfield and Melbourne Cups will be in everyone’s interests.

Looking towards the Cups (image Scott Barbour/Racing Photos)

“We were pretty happy with him; he came for a gallop here earlier in the week, and Blake Shinn rode him and said ‘I’m not sure if it was winning work, but he’s moving well and worked pretty nicely’ so we thought he was nice and forward.

“The beauty of Macedon is we can put him out in the paddocks and keep him fresh. I’m not sure whether we will have to spread his runs quite the same. The most important thing for today’s victory is that he was competitive over these shorter journeys because he makes it so hard for himself by missing the start, giving away a head start to his rivals. Still, if he can do that over 1700 I dread to think what he can do at two miles.”

Soulcombe (GB) is the best of three winners from as many to race out of the Manduro mare Ribbons, honoured as the Champion Older Female in Ireland in 2015 (Intermediate). Her seven wins included the Group 1 Deauville Prix Jean Romanet and Group II Curragh Blandford Stakes and was runner-up in the Group 1 Longchamp Prix de l'Opera, and third in the Group 1 Curragh Pretty Polly Stakes.

Advertisment

Race Result - Tile Importer Heatherlie Stakes LR 1700m

Caulfield Track: Good(4) Time: 1:43.90
1
Soulcombe
- 5g Frankel (GB) x Ribbons (GB) (Manduro (GER))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: B Shinn 58.5
2
0.8
Flash Flood
- 6g Night Of Thunder (IRE) x Giuditta (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Carleen Hefel 54
3
1.6
Jimmy The Bear
- 5g Jimmy Creed (USA) x Belvedere Road (AUS) (Street Boss (USA))
Tnr: Patrick Payne Rdr: W Egan 55
Inglis June (Late) Online Sale $0
Seller: M J Hirst
Buyer:
4
1.8
The Summit
- 7g Wootton Bassett (GB) x Acola (FR) (Acatenango (GER))
Tnr: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes Rdr: M J Dee 54.5
5
2.0
Regal Power
- 8g Pierro (AUS) x Broadway Belle (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: J Leek Jnr Rdr: Beau Mertens 59
6
2.5
Junipal
- 8g Reset (AUS) x Palatine Hill (AUS) (Palace Music (USA))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: D Moor 54
7
2.7
Sir Lucan
- 6g Camelot (GB) x Sparrow (IRE) (Oasis Dream (GB))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Jordan Childs 57.5
8
2.8
Hezashocka
- 6g Shocking (AUS) x Shezakiwi (NZ) (Brilliance (USA))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: Damian Lane 59.5
9
3.5
Emissary
- 7g Kingman (GB) x Soviet Moon (IRE) (Sadler's Wells (USA))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: Jye McNeil 59
10
3.6
Daqiansweet Junior
- 6g Sweet Orange (USA) x Paulette (NZ) (Keeper (AUS))
Tnr: P Stokes Rdr: D W Stackhouse 58
11
4.4
Uncle Bryn
- 6g Sea The Stars (IRE) x Wall Of Sound (GB) (Singspiel (IRE))
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: M Zahra 58.5
12
5.6
Buster Bash
- 6g Trade Fair (GB) x Disco Miss (AUS) (Zeditave (AUS))
Tnr: D R Harrison Rdr: Jamie Kah 58.5
13
5.7
Sheraz
- 7g Sea The Stars (IRE) x Shemiyla (FR) (Dalakhani (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: D Oliver 58.5
14
6.1
Hasta La War
- 8g Declaration Of War (USA) x Mofajah (GB) (Sadler's Wells (USA))
Tnr: Ms S Murphy Rdr: Ms L J Meech 55
More Reading...
King’s Legacy Filly Wins by Three
The Lindsay Park team produced an impressive juvenile winner at Pakenham on Thursday evening with King’s Legacy filly Bella Pietra winning as she pleased.
One to Watch – Bendigo
A flashy chestnut filly with a bit of the Apache Cat’s about her was an eye-catching five length debut winner at Bendigo on Friday for the Ciaron Maher stable.
Soulcombe Announces Himself in Australia Stakes Winner 106 for Frankel
Rarely do you find Europeans lamenting the sale of horses to Australia, so it may be telling an exception was the Frankel gelding Soulcombe (GB), who made a winning Australian debut in the Group III Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Sires With Winners - Friday May 30
Here is the full list of 41 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Best On Breeding - Melbourne Cup Edition
Tuesday’s $8,410,000 Lexus Melbourne Cup at Flemington could put an exclamation point on an amazing season for Juddmonte Farm’s undefeated champion, Frankel.
Breeding To Win - 2025 G1 Queensland Derby
It’s been 15 years since Dariana thumped the colts to win the Queensland Derby (2400m) in 2010 and maybe it’s time for another filly to triumph!
Debut Winner for King’s Legacy
King’s Legacy posted a seventh first crop winner on Friday with a fast finishing debut victory at Goulburn for talented gelding Nothing But Net.
Little Avondale’s Weanlings Follow Successful Footsteps
Graduates of Little Avondale Stud’s drafts at the NZB National Weanling Sale have a proud record of racetrack success, and stud principal Sam Williams believes his class of 2025 compares favourably with previous years.
Investing in Fillies Can Pay Big Dividends
We saw it earlier this month at Inglis Chairman’s Sale and we saw it again this week, purchasing yearling fillies that can perform to a high level has the potential to yield a big pay day in the sale ring, so let’s take a closer look.
Expensive Ghaiyyath Colt Wins Stakes
Darley shuttler Ghaiyyath (IRE) had his first Australian winner earlier this week and overnight produced a new stakes-winner in the UK where Godolphin owned colt Opera Ballo won the Listed Heron Stakes (1m)at Sandown.