Prince Of Arran Fights for a Melbourne Cup Spot With Gutsy Win at Geelong

Mark Smith - Wednesday October 23

Connections are hopeful Prince of Arran (GB) has done enough to earn a spot in the $8 million Lexus Melbourne Cup following a courageous performance in Wednesday’s $400,000 Group III bet365 Geelong Cup (2400m).

Given a positive ride by Michel Walker from the outside barrier, Prince of Arran (GB) raced on the outside of the pacesetting Hacky (IRE) before Walker asked for the supreme effort on the point of the home turn.

After fighting off the stubborn Hacky, the Charlie Fellowes-trained gelding came under attack from the heavily-backed Willy Mullins-trained mare True Self (IRE) (Oscar) but Prince of Arran (GB) (Shirocco) was up for the fight, battling to a long-head win over True Self (IRE) with Haky (Muhtathir) staying on strongly to be a length and a half back in third.Prine Of Arran toughs it out in Geelong Cup

With Charlie Fellowes back in England, travelling foreperson Natasha Eaton said she hoped Racing Victoria's chief handicapper Greg Carpenter was sufficiently impressed to award a  weight penalty that would move Prince Of Arran up the order of entry (currently 40th) for the Melbourne Cup.

"I'm just hoping and praying that it's enough to get in, that's what we want, old Greg to be nice, come on," Eaton told racing.com.

Walker said the import was all courage down the straight.

"I got there so easily but I had to do the donkey work leading the rest of the field up to the leader," Walker said.

"He was off the bit cornering but he always does that. As soon as he hit the straight, geez he's lengthened out.

"He's got a heart as big as anybody on this course today. I love this horse."

Advertisement

Trained by Charlie Fellowes at Newmarket, Prince of Arran (GB) sure does love his trips to Australia.

In three starts in Australia last spring, the 7yo gelding finished third in the Group II Herbert Power Stakes at Caulfield, won the Group III Lexus Stakes at Flemington and finished third in the Melbourne Cup.

After some indifferent form in Europe Prince Of Arran (GB) finished second in the Herbert Power Stakes at Caulfield.

Prince Of Arran (GB) arrived in Australia off the back of a third placed finish in the Group III September Stakes at Kempton Park, which was the first time he had placed in six starts since his previous Australian stint after which he took in races in Hong Kong and Dubai.  

He is a son of the 2005 Breeders' Cup Turf, the Coronation Stakes and the German Derby winner Shirocco who would rate as one of Monsun's best sons. T

The late, great German stallion Monsun has sired the winners of three Melbourne Cups, Fiorente (IRE) in 2013, Protectionist (GER) (2014) and Almandin (GER) in 2016.  Prince Of Arran's sire Shirocco would rate as one of Monsun's best sons.

The dam of Prince Of Arran, Storming Sioux, is 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...
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).
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.
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.
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.
Historic Day in Kalgoorlie - Old Meets the New
Kalgoorlie knows how to party, and on Cup day 2025 the party was big!
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).
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.
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.
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).