A Prince Of Arran Earns Golden Ticket to Melbourne Cup

Mark Smith - Saturday November 3

Third in the Herbert Power Stakes behind ruling Cup favourite Yucatan, the Charlie Fellowes-trained A Prince Of Arran (GB) needed to win Saturday's $300,000 Group III Lexus Stakes to earn a spot in next Tuesday's Melbourne Cup and he did just that.

With Michael Walker giving the British import a positive ride, A Prince Of Arran (GB) held the challenge of Brimham Rocks (GB) by a half-length to hand that Chris Waller-trained daughter of Fastnet Rock her 8th placing from as many starts since arriving from England.

Jaameh (IRE) was one and three-quarter lengths back in third. (photo Grant Courtney)

Advertisement

The 32yo Fellowes, who spent a year working with Lee Freedman, said the 6yo son of Shirocco had given him the thrill of a lifetime.


"Plans don't often come off like they did there but he has been in great form and he travelled over here so well. The girl that is leading him up, Natasha, has done the most unbelievable job with him all year, even in the beginning in Dubai," Fellows said.

"I just can't believe we are in the big one on Tuesday.

"That's the biggest win of my career, it's the first Group win of my career and to win on a massive day like today is huge.

"This was our derby. This was the race we needed to win and anything from now on is a bonus.

"We'll freshen him up, hopefully, he comes out of it good, and we'll give it our best shot on Tuesday."

A Prince Of Arran (GB) arrived in Australia of the back of placings in the Grade II Belmont Gold Cup in America and Northumberland Plate at Newcastle. But he was registering his first stakes win in the Lexus.

The late, great German stallion Monsun has sired the winners of three of the last five Melbourne Cups and A Prince Of Arran's sire Shirocco would rate as one of Monsun's best sons.

His seven wins included the 2005 Breeders' Cup Turf, the Coronation Stakes and the German Derby.

A Prince Of Arran becomes his 33rd stakes winner.

The dam of A Prince Of Arran, Storming Sioux, a daughter of Machiavellian's 4-time Group 1 winning son Storming Home, is a three-quarter sister to Group 1 Longchamp Prix d'Ispahan winner Best Of The Bests out of the Group III Fred Darling Stakes winner Sueboog (Darshaan).

Advertisment
More Reading...
Zoustar Stallion Keeps the Winners Coming for Cambridge Stud
Talented sprinter I’m All In showed he was back to his best with a gritty performance to take out the final race on an action-packed day at Ellerslie on Saturday, the Horizon By SKYCITY (1200m).
Kiwi Group I Winners - Glamour Fillies and Blueblood Mare
Two Group I races were run in New Zealand on Saturday producing an Oaks quinella for Cox Plate winning sire Ocean Park and Yulong, while a Cambridge Stud bred and raced mare claimed her first win at the elite level.
Streisand Half-Brother to Sell at Inglis Premier
Trainer Clinton McDonald and bloodstock agent Shane McGrath teamed up to win their second G1 Blue Diamond Stakes in three years today with Streisand (Magnus) victorious in the juvenile feature at Caulfield.
Rebel Dane Filly Leads Widden Sires Trifecta in Listed Cinderella
Rebel Dane shot to fame after siring Golden Slipper winning Champion 2YO Fireburn, but as so often happens when an unheralded stallion makes an early splash it can take a while for that initial result to transform into more ongoing success.
200/1 Stakes-Winner – How Does That Happen?
A veteran gelding by a Melbourne Cup hero became an unlikely stakes-winner at odds of 200-1 on Saturday!
That's Gold Delivers Milestone for Kiwi Trainer Chris Wood
Ellerslie’s Saturday meeting proved to be a momentous occasion for Chris Wood, with That’s Gold’s dominant win in the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) bringing up his 500th training victory in New Zealand.
Alabama Lass Can Bounce Back
Trainers Ken and Bev Kelso have been scratching their heads with their Group One-performed mare Alabama Lass over the last few months, but they received a confidence boost following her win in a Group and Listed 1100m trial at Taupo on Sunday.
The Power of Zoustar
The leading sire of winners in the world in 2025, reigning champion sire Zoustar makes his presence felt in many ways and we saw that over the weekend with a pair of stakes-winners in the Northern Hemisphere and here in Australia he got his first G1 winner as a broodmare sire.
G1 Goals for Trapeze Artist Mare
Talented Trapeze Artist mare Piggyback stormed into contention for autumn staying feature races when she zoomed to the line to win the $250,000 Group III ATC Paramatta Cup (1900m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Go Racing Hold G1 Ambitions for Plan for Lord Penman
Close up in strong company in the spring, Go Racing’s Lord Penman broke through and claimed his first Australian victory in the A$160,000 Racing and Sports Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.