Fernando favourite for Hobart Thousand

[Wandering Eyes]

Melbourne Cup runner-up Fernando Mick is favourite for Thursday night’s Group 1 Hobart Thousand (461m); but trainer David Geall is disappointed the evergreen veteran didn’t secure a slot in Saturday night’s The Phoenix.

After Fernando Mick was denied Melbourne Cup glory when edged out by Yachi Bale, beaten just half a length, Geall was optimistic he would secure the final slot in The Phoenix, which eventually went to El Dorado.

“I was surprised and very disappointed he didn’t get picked for The Phoenix,” Geall said.

“This will be his eighth Group final and he deserves to win a big one.”

“We know he came very close. It was a 50/50 call.

“I’ve heard some people thought he was too old for The Phoenix, which is mystifying. He’s had 91 starts and turns four in February but he’s going better now that he’s too old than he was when he was too young!”

Facts and figures support Geall’s belief the prolific son of Fernando Bale is racing as well as ever.

He’s won eight of his past 12 starts, with two of his defeats coming in G1 company, second in the Melbourne Cup and fourth in the Adelaide Cup, while he also ran fourth in the G3 Silver Bullet.

After missing a berth in The Phoenix, Fernando Mick had his second crack at the Hobart Thousand, having run third in a heat in 2021.

The $1.95 favourite from box 3 in the fourth of seven heats, Fernando Mick once again demonstrated great early speed as he opened up a decisive mid-race lead, defeating fellow Victorian Who Told Shorty by 3.25L in a scorching Best Of Night 25.63sec.

“I was really happy with him,” said Geall.

“He’d been down there last year, so we just opted to fly down on the day and I was a bit worried that might have affected him, but he flew!

“He’s a terrific dog. He can go from running second in a Melbourne Cup to running 25.63sec around one-bend at Hobart. He’s very adaptable.”

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Fernando Mick was one of three Victorian-trained heat winners.

2021 G2 Bendigo Cup winner Paua Of Buddy, trained by Steve White, was the second quickest qualifier, running 25.73sec, while David Burnett’s Jebediah edged out WA star Vice Grip in 25.78sec to qualify for his first Group final.

Another Vic in Nyah Nyah Flyer, which is based with Tasmanian trainer Eileen Thomas but raced by a syndicate including Matt Lanigan, who trained 2016 Thousand winner Zipping Bruiser, won his heat in 25.95sec.

After drawing box 2 for Thursday night’s $100,000 to-the-winner final – race 8 at 9.25pm – Fernando Mick is Sportsbet’s $2.50 favourite, with Paua Of Buddy the $3 second elect from box 8.

WATCH: FERNANDO MICK (5) came within half a length of giving David Geall his third Melbourne Cup victory in five years when edged out by YACHI BALE (4) in a thrilling finish to the 2022 Cup Final.

“Box 1 would’ve been ideal, but from box 2 he’s got a very good chance,” Geall offered.

“He’s been beginning so well for the last four or five months and if he can do it again, he’s a really good show.

“This will be his eighth Group final and he deserves to win a real big one. It’s his third Group 1. I thought we had the Melbourne Cup again until Yachi Bale swallowed him up on the line and he was only beaten half a length in the Maturity last year too.”

Geall is chasing his second Tasmanian ‘major’ for 2022, having won the G2 Launceston Cup in January with Hill Top Jack.

Geall ran third in last year’s Hobart Thousand with superstar sprinter Ferdinand Boy but revealed the four-time country cup winner has almost certainly run his last race.

“He tore a back muscle in a trial, and I don’t think he’ll race again,” Geall said.

“The aim was to get to 100 starts and 60 wins, but he had 98 starts for 51 wins and $500,000 in prizemoney and he didn’t win in the city! He was just a phenomenal dog.

“He’ll be at stud. There’s been a dozen breeders wanting to use him, so I’m in the process of collecting from him now.”

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