Charlie Fellowes considering Hong Kong for Golden Eagle-bound stable star

Charlie Fellowes will resist the temptation to run Grade 2 winner Luther on home turf before tackling the A$10 million (£4.9m/€5.7m) Golden Eagle at Rosehill on November 1.  

Fourth in the French 2,000 Guineas and third in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby earlier in the season, Luther was promoted to first place by the stewards after crossing the line second in the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga last month and will be next seen in competitive action in Australia. 

"We ummed and ahhed about running him in Britain and thought about the City of York Stakes, but he hadn't been back that long and it would have been a big ask," said Fellowes, who has left the door ajar for Luther to run in Hong Kong in December. 

"We also considered last week's Park Stakes at Doncaster, but he doesn't need a prep run. He's not a big, fat, heavy horse and has always been generous in his work at home. I can freshen him up and we can go over to Australia as fit as a fiddle."

The Golden Eagle, a conditions race run over seven and a half furlongs in Sydney, went the way of the William Haggas-trained Lake Forest last year and Fellowes thinks the race is tailor-made for Luther.  

Charlie Fellowes: "I can't wait for Australia"Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"I think he'll love it," said the Newmarket trainer. "He's not slow and I think the seven and a half furlongs around that track in a big field is ideal.

"He goes into quarantine at the end of this month, does two weeks in quarantine in Newmarket and then does two weeks in quarantine at Canterbury when he gets there. I think they get out of quarantine the day before they're due to race on November 1."

Fellowes has already enjoyed high-profile success in Australia, winning the Lexus Stakes and Geelong Cup with Prince Of Arran, who placed in three consecutive Melbourne Cups from 2018. 

"I can't wait for Australia," he added. "My favourite racing memories, bar Royal Ascot, are all in Australia and I'm really looking forward to going back, albeit in Sydney this time rather than Melbourne. We've never had a runner in Sydney and I'm really looking forward to it. 

"If he runs really well we might think about coming home via Hong Kong for the Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin in December, but we need to be invited and we'll have to see how Australia goes first."

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