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...
First foal for Cambridge Stud's Chaldean
The first Southern Hemisphere bred foal by Cambridge Stud stallion Chaldean (GB) has hit the ground with a filly foal out of the winning Burgundy mare Top Note born at Pencarrow Stud.
Widden Parade Braves the Rain
Widden Stud’s annual series of stallion parades in the ‘Valley of Champions’ kicked off as scheduled on Thursday with the reigning Champion Australian Sire Zoustar the centre of attention, while the world’s fastest horse Cogburn (USA) also made his debut in Australia.
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.
Best On Breeding
Five Australian-breds will line up in Saturday’s $5million Group 1 MRC Caulfield Cup (2400m), which is just two more than Frankel has supplied from his first two crops.
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.
Debut Winner for Doubtland
Standing at Widden Victoria, Not a Single Doubt’s young sire son Doubtland was one of the sires we saw in Victoria last week and he produced a stylish debut winner at Warrnambool on Thursday.
Kia Ora Cancel Saturday Parade
It is with much regret that the management team at Kia Ora announce the cancellation of the Kia Ora Stallion Parade to be held on Saturday 23rd August 2025.
First Foal for Woodside Park Stud’s Benbatl
On our tour of the Victorian studs last week we visited Woodside Park Stud and while new recruit Celestial Legend was the star attraction it was hard not be impressed by Dubawi’s globe-trotting son Benbatl (GB), who has his first Australian bred foal on the ground.
Twain Chasing Family History
Twain will be out to replicate the deeds of his dam when he heads to Te Rapa on Saturday to contest the Gr.2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday August 20
Here is the full list of 35 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.