Melbourne Cup third ‘in a great place’, says Charlie Fellowes

Prince Of Arran will head to the Far East later this month in a bid to cap what has been an amazing year for trainer Charlie Fellowes.

The Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin on December 9 is the target for the five-year-old, who has given connections memorable days in Dubai, the United States and Australia, as well as in the UK.

Prince Of Arran gave Fellowes a day to remember when third in the Melbourne Cup, just days after he clinched his place in the ‘race that stops a nation’ by winning the Group Three Lexus Handicap at Flemington.

“Prince Of Arran is a very happy boy. He’s in a great place. He’s still out at Werribee in Australia. He had an easy week last week and we’re just stating to pick things up again this week,” said the Newmarket handler.

“The plan is to to fly to Hong Kong on November 26 and he’ll be prepared for the Hong Kong Vase on December 9. Then he will have a long-overdue holiday.”

The Newmarket handler went on: “He’s been remarkable. If you told me in January that 10 months later I’d be flying over for the Hong Kong Vase and going there with a realistic shout I’d have chuckled!

“He’s improved and improved all year – mentally rather than physically. Mentally he’s in such a good place at the moment.

“He’s enjoying his racing, which I don’t think he was as a younger horse, and he’s done really well.

“He’s won about £620,000 this year and placed at Group One level, won at Group Three and was unlucky in a Group Two.

“He’s not only improved out of all recognition, but has become incredibly consistent, which he wasn’t before.

“For a young trainer like me that’s unbelievable. He’s taken us to places I never thought we’d go.

“We’ve only got 50 horses in training and we’ve won over £1million globally in prize-money on the back of a strong year back in England. It’s been a wonderful year.”