Equine Nutrition Solved Client Charlie Fellowes saddled the first Group winner of his short career and in doing so earned his way into Tuesday’s Lexus Melbourne Cup as stable star A Prince Of Arran landed the win-and-you’re in Lexus Stakes in authoritative fashion.
The margin of half a length did not do justice to the ease with which he won and there was more good news for Fellowes shortly afterwards when Racing Victoria’s chief handicapper Greg Carpenter, in what is always the speediest assessment of his year, decided not to penalise the five-year-old for the race that stops a nation. It means he will line up in the 24-runner Group 1 handicap with 53kg (8st5lbs).
He's always been the apple of my eye as he's a very good looking horse but he was very quirky and I always worried he wouldn't fulfil his potential . This year he really is doing what I hoped he would do when he was younger.
“That’s the biggest win of my career, it’s my first Group win and to win on a massive day like today is huge,” said an elated Fellowes. “Getting into the Cup is amazing and we’ll hopefully enjoy the next couple of days and the build-up as much as we can.
“I can’t believe we’re in the big one on Tuesday. This was our Derby, this was the race that we needed to win. Anything from now on is a bonus. I’m just over the moon. Michael gave him a lovely ride and we got there a bit too soon as he doesn’t do much in front but his jockey said he picked up again when the other one came to him and we were always holding on to the line.
“Let’s just hope he comes out of the race okay and we’ll do whatever we can to freshen him up and run again Tuesday.”