Fellowes On the Road Again With Prince of Arran

When Prince of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) takes his place in the starting gate where the chute links up with the track proper for Sunday's G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase (2400m), he will be making his 30th career appearance and will be having his 11th run of the season over a seventh different racetrack (six turf, one all-weather). In Hong Kong, he is visiting his fifth racing jurisdiction on four different continents. But the 5-year-old is displaying few signs of wear and tear despite what's been asked of him in 2018, and looms a puncher's chance in an historically strong renewal of the Vase, an event dominated down the years by its foreign entrants.

“Yeah, he's done alright,” said his 32-year-old trainer Charlie Fellowes in what could be judged as one of the understatements of the year. “He's been a remarkable horse for us this year, to race on four different continents, win on two of them, be placed on the other two and win about 600 grand.”

Prince of Arran is set to be the first Hong Kong runner for the Newmarket-based Fellowes, in his fifth season as a full-fledged trainer, and clearly the stable darling. The bay gelding spent the winter in Dubai, winning a World Cup Carnival handicap over 3200 metres, and gave an excellent account of himself when sent across to the U.S., where he was beaten 1 1/4 lengths into third by Call to Mind (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) in the GII Belmont Gold Cup (3200m) in June.

Second in the Northumberland Plate at the end of that month, Prince of Arran was targeted for some of Australia's best staying events, including the G1 Melbourne Cup, but he would have his work cut out for him from well down the order of merit. He kicked off the journey by finishing a promising third, with trouble, behind Yucatan (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G2 Herbert Power S. (2400m) Oct. 13. Facing a do-or-die scenario in the G3 Lexus S. (2500m) at Flemington Nov. 3 with a berth in the big race on the line, Prince of Arran got a terrific ride from Michael Walker and held on late to punch his ticket to the 'race that stops a nation.'

Rated a 20-1 gamble in the Cup over a track with some ease in it, Prince of Arran was fairly prominent in the run and found himself in a winning position off the home corner. Though he was overhauled in the final 100 metres by Cross Counter (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Marmelo (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), it was akin to a victory, Fellowes recollected.

“It was unbelievable, it still sends shivers down my spine when I watch the replay and I still think a furlong and a half out that we are going to win,” he said. “Bar winning, the race worked out great, he travelled well, got a nice position, was last off the bridle, but I just think that two miles is a just a fraction too far and he doesn't see it out as strongly as others. Ultimately he got beaten by two stronger stayers on the day and the rain in the morning didn't help us, but he ran a huge race. We always hoped Hong Kong would be an option, but we were told before the Melbourne Cup that we were borderline to be accepted and it would take a big performance at Flemington to be accepted. Luckily that happened and they were waiting after the race asking if we would come over.”

Prince of Arran's campaign is reminiscent of the ones put together by the likes of Red Cadeaux (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) and Dunaden (Fr) (Nicobar {Fr}), each of whom won the Vase following a run at Flemington, and Fellowes says that Prince of Arran has thrived since.

“He's been really good since Australia,” the conditioner said. “He is a very laid-back horse, he does everything at his own pace and he takes very little out of himself in his daily routine. For that reason I wasn't too concerned about running him twice in three days and he proved that by running the race of his life in the Melbourne Cup.

He continued, “International racing really suits him, he loves those flat tracks, going around in a circle, he finds it easy and it keeps him focused. He much prefers those style of tracks compared to, say, Goodwood or Salisbury or quirky tracks like that.”

Fellowes is keenly aware that they do not simply give away Group 1 prizes such as the Vase and has respect for the competition while realistic about the task at hand.

“Sha Tin will be another step up,” Fellowes asserts. “Although he ran brilliantly in the Melbourne Cup, I actually think he will be better suited to a mile and a half and I'm really looking forward to tackling top-class horses over that trip. With all due respect to the horses in the Lexus, I don't think Prince Of Arran really came out of third gear that day. He didn't do a stroke in front in the last furlong and given he ran such a huge race three days later suggests to me that the tank was far from empty in the Lexus. Saying that the Vase will be a really tough race, [G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe fourth] Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) is very talented, Mirage Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is a very good horse, Salouen (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) is a proven Group 1 horse, so it is a deep race and that is not even taking into account the locals.”

Michael Walker rode Prince of Arran in his three runs in Australia and retains the ride this weekend.

“Michael is going to ride again, he has built up a lovely relationship with the horse, he worked him out very quickly, they get on well and the horse runs for him, so we don't want to change a winning formula,” Fellowes explained. “I am very good friends with David Eustace who trains with Ciaron Maher and when the Australia plan was hatched, I rang David and told him I needed a jockey who could ride him the whole way through. David suggested Michael, who rides a lot for Ciaron and who has a good record in those longer-distance races and it has worked out well so far.

A memorable season for Prince of Arran and his trainer concludes Sunday in Hong Kong and connections look for the momentum to continue.

“The Melbourne Cup will live long in the memory,” Fellowes said. “It was the first time our yard announced itself on the big stage and hopefully it will prove a big turning point in my career. Perhaps we can even go a few places better at Sha Tin.”

–Additional reporting by Daithi Harvey