Esti Feny Triumphs in Mornington Cup

Mark Smith - Saturday April 20

Former Hungarian Horse of The Year Esti Feny (HUN) added Saturday’s $300,000 Listed Sportsbet Mornington Cup to his wins in the Listed Gosford Cup, Hungarian Derby and Hungarian St Leger while earning a golden ticket for the Caulfield Cup.

Daniel Stackhouse salutes on Esti Feny (image Racing Photos)

Ridden by Daniel Stackhouse for Matthew Smith, the 9-year old gelded son of Pigeon Catcher (IRE) collared the tiring leader Deny Knowledge on straightening before holding the challenge of Little Mix (Mahisara) by one and a quarter lengths, with Strawberry Rock (Rock Of Gibraltar) a further half length back in third.

“How exciting, the owners have been very patient and are now off to the Caulfield Cup,” stable representative Rebecca Shanks said.

Advertisement

“He ran so well in the (Australian Cup) Prelude, so it was worth having a crack at the Australian Cup.  He has promised us so much behind the scenes and the team has done an incredible job to keep him up and running.

“He is a dream of a horse you would not know how old he is. He loves his racing and was borderline retired for a little while and I think Matt felt a bit bad for him in the paddock.

“He’s made a great comeback, so what a great decision that was.”

Esti Feny (HUN) advances his record to eight wins, four seconds, and three thirds from 34 starts with earnings of $632,119.

Off to the Caulfield Cup (image Racing/Photos)

He is the best of five winners from seven to race for the unraced Nayef mare Ejtihaad (IRE) and all but singlehandedly earned that mare Broodmare of the Year honours in Hungary in 2018.

Esti Feny (HUN) is the lone stakes-winner for the Dutch Art stallion Pigeon Catcher (IRE) the winner of two races in France who hails from the family of Elnadim (USA) and Mehthaaf (USA).

Advertisment

Race Result - Sportsbet Mornington Cup LR 2400m

Mornington Track: Soft(5) Time: 2:32.58
1
Esti Feny
- 9g Pigeon Catcher (IRE) x Ejtihaad (IRE) (Nayef (USA))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: D W Stackhouse 55
2
1.3
Little Mix
- 5m Mahisara (AUS) x Girls Aloud (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: Jye McNeil 55.5
3
1.8
Strawberry Rock
- 7g Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE) x Strawberry Vodka (GB) (Azamour (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: Declan Bates 55
4
3
Deny Knowledge
- 6m Pride Of Dubai (AUS) x The Paris Shrug (GB) (Manduro (GER))
Tnr: M C Kent Rdr: B Mc Dougall 58.5
5
5.5
Future History
- 6g Showcasing (GB) x Likelihood (USA) (Mizzen Mast (USA))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: Ethan Brown 60
6
6.8
Nereus
- 4g Savabeel (AUS) x Eudora (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: S Ritchie & C Murray Rdr: M J Mc Nab 56
7
6.8
Captain Envious
- 5g Savabeel (AUS) x My Central (ITY) (Central Park (IRE))
Tnr: P A Preusker Rdr: Thomas Stockdale 60
8
7.2
First Immortal
- 4g Churchill (IRE) x Storm Siren (AUS) (Excites (AUS))
Tnr: Mark & Levi Kavanagh Rdr: L Currie 59
9
8.2
Mystery Island
- 7g Victoire Pisa (JPN) x Mystique (GER) (Monsun (GER))
Tnr: Shane Jackson Rdr: H Coffey 54
10
10
Gear Up
- 6g Teofilo (IRE) x Gearanai (USA) (Toccet (USA))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: J Mott 60
11
13.2
Hopeful
- 7g Motivator (GB) x Monst (IRE) (Monsun (GER))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: Ms W Costin 57.5
12
33.2
Good Oil
- 5g Dalghar (FR) x Sacred Country (NZ) (Perfectly Ready (AUS))
Tnr: Andrew Forsman Rdr: W Egan 54
More Reading...
Pedigree Watch – Juvenile Stakes-Winners
Three new season juvenile stakes races on Saturday produced a $1million yearling purchase that gave Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside the perfect start to his stud career, a pinhook winner turned stakes-winner and a colt foaled in Australia with a Kiwi pedigree.
War Machine Stakes Everest Claim - G2 Gilgai
David Hayes has a New Zealand-bred superstar heading into the A$20 million Gr.1 The Everest (1200m) in two weeks, where his sons Ben, Will and JD Hayes might line up against him with a Kiwi-bred Group One winner of their own.
Surprise Bart Cummings Victory Secures Valiant King Melbourne Cup Run
It’s not often you see a runner from the Chris Waller stable go around at 50/1 odds, but 6yo gelding Valiant King (GB) produced an outstanding effort to win Saturday’s $350,000 Group 3 VRC Bart Cummings (2520m) at Flemington, securing himself a run in this year’s $10m Gr1 VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Sir Delius Delivers G1 Turnbull Stakes Win
Adding Saturday’s $750,000 Group 1 VRC Turnbull Stakes (2000m) to his Group 1 MRC Underwood Stakes (1800m) victory last start, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Sir Delius further enhanced his outstanding reputation ahead of an assault on the WS Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.
Briasa Wins $1million G2 Premiere Stakes- Everest Next
Twin Hills Stud’s Smart Missile will have a runner in the $20million The Everest and his explosive grey sprinter Briasa will be going into the race in top form following an exciting win at Randwick on Saturday in  the $1million Group I ATC Premiere Stakes (1200m).
Media World Adds to Millionaire Yearling Stakes Success
Stakes racing on Saturday produced a number of stakes-winners purchased for seven figures as yearlings in Australia with $1.8million Inglis Easter sale-topper Autumn Glow leading the way in the Group I ATC Epsom after earlier success for $1million 2YO Incognito, while at Flemington $1.4million entire Media World took out the Listed VRC Paris Lane Stakes (1400m).
Historic Day in Kalgoorlie - Old Meets the New
Kalgoorlie knows how to party, and on Cup day 2025 the party was big!
McGaw Firms For Coolmore Stud Stakes After G2 Danehill Win
Considered an outside chance in betting markets, Emma-Lee and David Browne’s I Am Immortal gelding McGaw dented the reputation of a few leading Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes contenders with a fighting win in the $300,000 Gr2 VRC Danehill Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Sires With Winners - Sunday October 5
Here is the full list of 47 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
First Stakes Horse for Home Affairs
The Group III ATC Breeders Plate (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday attracted a strong field of talented colts from the recent official 2YO trials in Sydney and Home Affairs looks to have a quality youngster in I’m Ya Huckleberry.