Finche Flashes His Melbourne Cup Credentials

Mark Smith - Saturday September 21

To paraphrase an Australian PM, how good is that 2017 Group II Prix Niel form working out?.

That day belonged to Frankel's 4-time Group 1 winner Cracksman who defeated Avilius (GB) and Finche (GB).

Advertisement

Not long after Avilius (GB) earned a third Group 1 win in the Optic White (George Main) Stakes (1600m), Finche (GB) broke his duck in Australia with a fighting win in the Group III Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Randwick.


Purchased privately in a deal brokered by Avenue Bloodstock, the French Group II and Group III winner made two starts in Australia last spring, finishing third in the Group III Geelong Cup before a fine fourth in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup.

Carrying the colours of his breeder, Prince Khalid Abdullah, who now shares ownership with some of Chris Waller's leading clients Neil Werrett, Peter Tighe and Frank and Christine Cook, Finche (GB) began his spring campaign with an eye-catching fifth in the Group II Chelmsford Stakes.

The Melbourne Cup is on the agenda again for the striking chestnut son of Frankel after he ran down the frontrunning Stampede (High Chaparral) by a long-neck with the winners stablemate Carzoff (FR) (Zoffany) a length back in third. (images Steve Hart).

Winning trainer Chris Waller said it was a proud moment for him to win a race for one of the world's most successful owner/breeders.

He is a very good horse and it's a privilege to train for Price Khalid Abdullah and the team that have bought into him from Australia that are great supporters of mine. To see those colours winning here at Royal Randwick is pretty special and I still get excited by little things like that.

"Horses that have raced in those colours include Frankel Enable and Arrogate so to have them here at Randwick is a big coup.

"We will go home and map out a suitable plan (for the Melbourne Cup), he is a very talented horse and we look forward to getting him there.

The Juddmonte bred is a half-brother to five winners including the 4-time US Grade 1 winner and multiple European Group 1-placed Proviso (Dansili) and Byword (Peintre Celebre) the Champion Older Male Miler in France in 2010 whose 7 wins included the Group 1 Royal Ascot Prince of Wales's Stakes.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Elite Broodmare Band Booked to Celestial Legend
Woodside Park Stud is proud to announce they are sending an outstanding group of broodmares to visit their exciting young sire Celestial Legend. 
Frankel's Miss Fabulass Returns to Form
The royally-bred Frankel mare Miss Fabulass came with a barnstorming finish to earn her second stakes win in Saturday’s Listed The Spirit Of Boom Classic (1200m) at Doomben.
Sires With Winners - Monday August 4
Here is the full list of 26 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
G1 Guineas Goal for Unbeaten Snitzel Filly
A quartet of well-performed fillies from Stephen Marsh’s stable took their first steps toward upcoming age group features when they stepped out at the Taupo trials on Monday.
G1 Plans for Wexford Stable Mares
Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have their sights set on the opening Group One of the season with a pair of talented mares, both of which appeared at the Taupo trials on Monday.
First Stakes-Win for Emirates Park Blue Blood Frankel
By champion sire Frankel from Golden Slipper winner Mossfun, Emirates Park homebred Dajraan is bred in the purple as they say and posted his first Black Type win at Rosehill on Saturday when scoring a dashing victory in the GRoup III ATC Festival Stakes (1500m).
Aussie Globetrotting Mare Now Calls Woodside Home
Woodside Park have released a list of their quality mares set to visit new recruit Celestial Legend this spring and one of them is Aussie bred Group II winner Nafaayes, who produced a promising 2YO winner overnight in the UK.
Zed 9YO Wins G3 Winter Cup
Saturday’s $110,000 Group Three Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton continued an incredible ride for the connections of Chase (NZ) (Zed), who bought him for only $9,000 from Book 3 of Karaka 2018. Originally a $6,000 purchase by JD Corcoran when offered as a weanling from Valachi Downs in the 2017 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale.
Te Akau Stars Warm Up at Taupo Trials
Perennial bridesmaid Qali Al Farrasha headlined a strong contingent of trialists out of Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson’s stable at Taupo on Monday.
Frankel's San Remo Prepares for a Jumping Career
When a Frankel half-brother to multiple Group 1 winners Dubawi Heights and Make Believe was born at Barronstown Stud in 2014 it’s doubtful that connections were eying off a benchmark 70 over 3800 metres at Ararat, yet here we are.