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Prince Of Arran just denied on Melbourne return in Herbert Power

The Chosen One (near side) denies Prince Of Arran in the Herbert Power
The Chosen One (near side) denies Prince Of Arran in the Herbert PowerCredit: Racing Photos

It was so near yet so far for gallant globetrotter Prince Of Arran as Charlie Fellowes's stable star was denied in the final strides of the Ladbrokes Herbert Power Stakes on a high-quality Caulfield Guineas day.

The Saeed bel Obaida-owned six-year-old looked to be holding all challengers under Michael Walker but gave way late on to half-length winner and Caulfield Cup-bound The Chosen One.

A typically game performance from last year's Melbourne Cup third left Fellowes's travelling head groom and former jockey Natasha Eaton with a mix of emotions.

Eaton said: "I don't know whether to cry or cry – cry because he got beat or cry because he ran so well! My emotions for this horse are unbelievable.

"He's run incredibly well and always does abroad – wherever you take him he just thrives."

Fellowes has the option of bidding for back-to-back victories in the Lexus Stakes, a 'win and you're in' race for the Melbourne Cup, but can play a waiting game to assess Prince Of Arran's chances of making the cut for the Flemington showstopper on November 5.

Walker said: "He just came to the end of his tether in the last 50 metres but I couldn't have been happier with the way he went around in a stop-start race. He ran a superb race."

Cape Of Good Hope (near): the first of two top-level winners for jockey Mark Zahra
Cape Of Good Hope (near): the first of two top-level winners for jockey Mark ZahraCredit: Racing Photos

Jockey Mark Zahra enjoyed the best day of his career with a quickfire top-level double initiated in the Coolmore silks aboard Ladbrokes Stakes winner Cape Of Good Hope on his first start for the training triumvirate of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig.

The recent Ballydoyle recruit, successful in the Blue Riband Trial in April, powered home to defeat his elders, including ninth-placed Dream Castle, and will be aimed at the Cox Plate, for which he was shortened to 7-1 (from 50) with bet365, and Mackinnon Stakes.

David Hayes said: "He's a high-class horse with a stallion's pedigree and there's a lot of improvement in him.

"He was registered in my colours last week but he worked so well that I told Coolmore to change him to their silks!"

A recognisable name to British racing fans on the back of Shergar Cup Challenge success on Indianapolis at Ascot in August, Zahra struck again 40 minutes later on feature-race scorer Super Seth, trained by Anthony Freedman, in the Ladbrokes-sponsored Caulfield Guineas.

Zahra said: "I had a great experience riding at the Shergar Cup at Ascot this year – and would love to go back one day – but this has been the best day of my career.

"I never thought Super Seth was going to win until half a furlong out. He really stayed on well and won going away."

The James Cummings-trained and Godolphin-owned Trekking earned a slot in next Saturday's The Everest at Randwick with victory in the Alfa Romeo Schillaci Stakes, with connections required to confirm the five-year-old's participation in the A$14million sprint on Sunday.


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Jack HaynesReporter

Published on 12 October 2019inInternational

Last updated 09:15, 12 October 2019

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