International Racing Fit For A Prince

[Wandering Eyes]

In 2018, Prince Of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) raced in five different countries for his Newmarket-based trainer Charlie Fellowes. Some of his best performances included him finishing third in the GII Belmont Gold Cup and G1 Melbourne Cup as well as winning the G3 Lexus S. in Melbourne. Prince Of Arran is back in full training after his winter break and Fellowes talks to TDN’s Alayna Cullen about his trail-blazing stable star.

TDN: 2018 was an exciting year for you and Prince Of Arran. Just remind us what he achieved.

CF: He ran four times in Dubai, won once, was second once and then he actually ran a really good race in the Dubai Gold Cup on World Cup night; he got too far back and ran on but the race was all over by then. Then he came back to England and finished seventh in the Chester Cup, probably over too far combined with the ground being a bit choppy. We then went out to America where he was third in the Belmont Gold Cup. He ran really well and that was the first time I really got a feeling that maybe two miles slightly stretches him.

After that we came back to England and were second in the Northumberland Plate. We gave him a little holiday and went over to Australia where he was third in the [G2] Herbert Power S. at Caulfield, won the Lexus S. at Flemington and was then third in the Melbourne Cup.

TDN: Why was 2018 the year for an international campaign?

CF: He was five years old and his owners live in Dubai. They made it clear that when they send horses to me the Dubai Carnival is really where they want to have runners and so when Prince of Arran got to a mark of 104, I said, “Let’s go and let’s try him at it.” It quickly became very clear that he enjoyed traveling and so we decided to expand on that.

I think it was in Dubai where we really hatched the plan that Australia, at the end of the year, could be ideal for him. So with that in mind it was all a case of trying to qualify for the Melbourne Cup, and to do that you have to place in a group race. That’s why we went to America. I thought it was the best place, or best chance he’d have to do it and when we got there and we got the invite to Australia. It was a no-brainer, so we headed over there.

The foreign style of racing suits him better than in England. He loves a round track. He likes good ground, which you generally get in America and Australia, so it was a combination of those things.

TDN: Of all his races last year, what was your personal highlight?

CF: It’s a difficult question because automatically, I would say, ‘Don’t be mad, finishing third in the Melbourne Cup was amazing.’ But it’s a close-run thing between the Melbourne Cup and actually, the Lexus, three days earlier. The Lexus, purely because, if you’ve been to Derby Day, you’d understand what I’m talking about. On Derby Day the atmosphere is as good as the Melbourne Cup. It was packed and there was the added pressure that you had to win to get into the Melbourne Cup. When he won and we knew that we had qualified for the Melbourne Cup, it was sort of the combination of both: having a winner out there and getting into the Melbourne Cup.

TDN: You mentioned that he loves travelling. Why do you think that is?

CF: He’s very laidback, always has been. He’s very inquisitive and quite an intelligent horse and I think going to different places in the world, different scenery, different training places, keeps him interested. It keeps his mind ticking over and gives him something to think about. I think back in England, if he spent 365 days of the year doing the same thing, intelligent horses like him can get a bit bored. It’s been really good for his mind going to different places and he looks after himself, he would only put 120% in if he has to put 120% in and that’s really important. He’s also unbelievably sound, touch wood. In five years, I don’t think he’s taken a lame step, which is remarkable.

TDN: How has he wintered and what is the plan for 2019?

CF: Good, he’s actually got a bit of a winter coat on which is unlike him. Last year he didn’t grow a winter coat. But he looks great, he’s in really good form, he came back to the yard about six weeks ago and hasn’t missed a beat since then.

The plan for 2019 is going to be slightly different from last year, I think. As I said, I just have a gut feeling two miles is his maximum trip and I’ve always thought that he was a bit soft and that he was best ridden patiently and then to work into the race. I think in Australia, one of the things we learnt was that actually he’s not that soft. He is a lot tougher than I gave him credit for and that you can be a bit more aggressive on him. So I think we’ll probably drop back in trip this year, maybe look at mile and a half, or a mile and six maximum, but ride him a little bit more aggressively than we have done in the past.

He’s going to go to Dubai. He’ll run in the G2 Dubai City of Gold [on Saturday] which is a mile a half, and then we’ll see what we do on World Cup night. He’s got the option of the G1 Sheema [Classic] or the Gold Cup and he could go to either one, depending on what the two races look like.

He will then come back to England and look at something like the Hardwicke S. over a mile and a half at Royal Ascot. Then maybe look at something like the GI Canadian International abroad before heading down to Australia again for the Melbourne Cup.

TDN: What does Prince Of Arran mean to you and the team?

CF: Well firstly, to me, he’s raised my profile a huge amount and for a small yard and a relatively young trainer that is crucial because it’s not easy. To the yard, it’s very hard not to fall in love with him because he’s such a character. Out on the heath he has his tongue out and he shakes his head and he’s not a nasty horse. He’s got a really lovely personality, very playful and it’s just very hard not to fall in love with him because he’s an incredibly endearing character.

TDN: You’ve already had runners in Dubai this Carnival season, it’s been a bit of a bittersweet meet for you.

CF: It has been bittersweet because we sent two horses over there and they both achieved exactly what we wanted to achieve. Escalator (GB) was too fresh and gassy on this first start but then was unbelievably impressive to come from last to first to win in his next. Sadly, in a piece of work, he came back with an injury that’s going to rule him out for up to a year. Hopefully he’ll be able to come back from it. He looked incredibly progressive so this injury has come as a bit of a blow.

Then Mia Tesoro (IRE), I don’t know what happened to her first time out, we felt maybe the ground wasn’t right for her as maybe they put a bit too much water down. She likes it rattling quick and she just never really got into the race. She had another month and she ran a brilliant race to finish second to Poetic Charm (GB), who is a very good horse. But that happened 12 hours before Escalator injured himself which put a downer on things.

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