Tag Archive for: Luther

Golden Eagle swoop in the pipeline for globetrotting Luther

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Charlie Fellowes’ star Luther is set to add another destination to his global-trotting Pattern quest with the Golden Eagle in Sydney.

The three-year-old Frankel colt celebrated victory, albeit through the stewards’ room, in the Grade Two National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga in America on Friday, which came just four weeks after taking place honours in the Belmont Derby at the same venue.

Now, the Bedford House handler is seeking to emulate the success of the William Haggas-trained Lake Forest at Rosehill in Australia, following a stint back at home and a potential run in the Group Two Park Stakes at Doncaster on St Leger day.

“He couldn’t have taken it any better,” Fellowes said on Wednesday. “He’s on his way home and will be back tonight. Really proud of him.

“He ran third in a Grade One over there and the form’s worked out really well. The first and second in the Belmont Derby were first and third in the Saratoga Derby, so that form looks strong and he beat some good European horses in the process.

“Then we went and won, slightly controversially, but I think anyone watching that race saw how messy it was and I think if we had a relatively smooth trip it would have been a really, really good race between us and probably the best turf three-year-old horse in America (Zulu Kingdom).

“He’s coming home, but at the moment, the potential plan is to head to the Golden Eagle down in Sydney. It’s a A$10million (£4.89m) race, seven and a half furlongs, he has so much speed, I’ve got no problem with the seven and a half with him.

“His part-owner lives in Singapore so that makes sense, so that’s very much our end-of-season target. He’s probably done enough now to get a slot in that race.

“Whether he has a run here before then as a little prep run, not quite sure yet. I put him in the Park Stakes at Doncaster, so that could be a goer.”

Shes Perfect is another leading light in the Fellowes yard.

However, the Sioux Nation filly – who unfortunately for her connections suffered contrasting fortunes in the stewards’ room when relegated from first place in the French 1,000 Guineas – will not be seen again until next year.

Fellowes said: “She’s absolutely good as gold, but she’s finished for the year.

“She’s sound, which is the most important thing, but X-rays we took last week showed a definite small weakness in her right-hind fetlock which just needs a little bit of time to heal and the vets were concerned that if we pressed on, something a bit more significant could happen.

“It sounds very positive, it just needs time and they are very positive that she’ll be back next season where hopefully she can bag the Group One that she so deserves.

“It was just too risky. She’s had a long season anyway, she would probably have only had two more races I’d have thought.

“We’ve not missed out on loads, I’m gutted that we are not running in a Foret because that race would have absolutely suited her, but maybe that will wait until next year.

“She’s a lovely big filly, she’s only going to improve with age so next year should be great for her.”

Luther handed more international targets

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Luther is poised to pick up plenty more air miles following his valiant effort in the Belmont Derby at Saratoga.

The Charlie Fellowes- trained three-year-old missed the break but rallied gamely in the hands of Kieran Shoemark to finish third, a length and a quarter adrift of winner Test Score.

Fellowes has plenty of options stateside for the son of Frankel before more globetrotting awaits with a trip to Sydney for the Golden Eagle at Rosehill.

He told Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday: “He ran really well. It didn’t quite go to plan, he was very slow out of the gates and we sat much further back than we intended to sit.

“He showed a really, really wicked turn of foot coming around the bend and then I just felt his run petered out through the last three-quarters of a furlong. My gut feeling is that he probably just doesn’t stay that nine furlongs and that really he’s a miler.

“There’s the Saratoga Derby back over course and distance in a month’s time but that’s over nine furlongs and I think that trip stretches him.

“There’s the Hall of Fame which is the day before which is the Grade Two which is worth $400,000 over a mile which is interesting.

“Then there’s the a race down at Colonial Downs about a week later called the Secretariat. It used to be a Grade One and now’s a Grade Two but it’s worth $500,000 so that’s a possibility.

“He’ll have one more run in America and then come back here. He loves quick ground so we’ll give him a freshen up and then end up somewhere like a Golden Eagle (in Australia).”

Fellowes has decided to swerve the Falmouth Stakes this week with Shes Perfect after a tough summer in France.

She was narrowly beaten by Zarigana in the Prix de la Grotte and then thought she had gained revenge in the French 1,000 Guineas only to lose the race in the stewards’ room.

She then stepped up in trip for the Prix de Diane but was a well beaten ninth after failing to see out the trip.

But the Newmarket handler has plenty of options for the daughter of Sioux Nation.

He said: “She’ll have a little freshen up, just to give her a bit of time before her next race and then a big autumn. I think we’ll probably go to the Valiant (at Ascot) or the Oak Tree at Goodwood, drop back to a mile or seven furlongs.

“And then you’ve got things like the Matron, the Sun Chariot or the race I really like for her is ironically the Foret which seemed like a really good plan until I heard Francis Graffard say they’re aiming Zarigana at it!”