Rarely do you find Europeans lamenting the sale of horses to Australia, so it may be telling an exception was the Frankel gelding Soulcombe (GB), who made a winning Australian debut in the Group III Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Coming off a romp in the Melrose Handicap at York, previous part-owner Chris Budgett said, ‘an offer too good to refuse came from a syndicate led by Ozzie Kheir.
Budgett said they had Derby ambitions for the royally bred son of Frankel, but he was too immature and was subsequently gelded.
There was nothing secretive about the respect the Waller stable held for Soulcombe (GB).
Settled back in second last place by Craig Williams, Soulcombe (GB) moved to a challenging position on the home turn. Keeping up a strong gallop, the 3yo gelding defeated Luncies (Iffraaj) by two and a quarter lengths, with Captain Envious (Savabeel) a neck back in third.
“(Craig) kept it simple. We didn’t change anything from his UK form,” Waller said.
“It was good to see him travelling nicely and good to see him coming into the race at the top of the straight.
“It’s a long straight here at Flemington. Not as long as some of the straights he’s used to back home, but it was good to see him continue to extend.
“He really was explosive (over) the last 200 metres.
“It was a great experience (for the horse), and that’s what it’s all about with horses, especially when you’re coming from a different hemisphere. It is a different style of racing, but no better place than Flemington, the bigger tracks, and that will give the horse a lot of confidence.
“It’s all about seeing how he recovers today. Most importantly, he knows how to win at Flemington.”
Craig Williams said the Frankel gelding has an exciting future.
“He’s so raw and untapped. Credit to Chris Waller and his team of owners. They will develop a tough, seasoned horse for next year,” Williams said.
“I was really confident coming in. We had no weight, he’s a really nice horse and a lot to like about him. It’s exciting to win on the new concept of Champions Day.
“He’s a really nice horse. He had a good profile from England, and they found the right horse with the right rating. They look like they’re setting themselves up making this the best horse he can possibly be and that will be in six to 12 months.”
Soulcombe (GB) is the best of three winners from as many to race out of the Manduro mare Ribbons, honoured as the Champion Older Female in Ireland in 2015 (Intermediate). Her seven wins included the Group 1 Deauville Prix Jean Romanet and Group II Curragh Blandford Stakes and was runner-up in the Group 1 Longchamp Prix de l'Opera, and third in the Group 1 Curragh Pretty Polly Stakes.
Soulcombe (GB) is the 106th stakes-winner for Juddmonte Farms Frankel (GB).
