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.

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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.

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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
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
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