The globetrotting Prince of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}), a good second last out in the G1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Nov. 5, has returned to Sha Tin to contest the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase and he galloped 1200 metres in 1:19 flat on Monday morning. Ridden by Natasha Eaton, the Charlie Fellowes trainee threw down furlong splits of :27.8, :28.2 and :23 even. He was eighth in the Vase in 2018 after leaving from the 14 post.
Eaton told the Hong Kong Jockey Club notes team, “This is his third year of travelling and he loves it. He barely lost any weight on the journey from Melbourne and seems to be getting stronger all the time. He'll work again later in the week and I'm convinced that he will finish closer than last year when he finished eighth but nothing went right for him then.”
Since last year's performance, Prince Of Arran has taken his form to a new level, winning the G3 Geelong Cup prior to the Melbourne Cup–boosting his career earnings close to £1.5 million.
Added Fellowes, “We have unfinished business in Hong Kong. I told everyone at Sha Tin last December that Prince Of Arran was in even better shape than he had been in Australia–but he got gate 14, and nothing went right for him. Actually I think he still ran a huge race, all things considered. I wouldn't want to be right on the inside, but three to seven would be ideal. Our horse doesn't want to lead, but he wants to be close up. That is how he likes to race.
“He is a highly intelligent horse and seems to find travelling very stimulating, so it keeps him fresh. Also, I think that intelligence means that he only does as much as he has to–all his wins have been by narrow margins–so you never really get to the bottom of him, and that also implies that he can last longer as a racehorse.”
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