Faatinah Holds On For Euclase Stakes Win

Faatinah held-off a fast-finishing Sooboog to record an upset victory in the 2016 Euclase Stakes at Morphettville this afternoon.

Faatinah produced the best performance of his career to date to take out the Euclase Stakes. Photo by: Jenny Barnes

Faatinah produced the best performance of his career to date to take out the Euclase Stakes. Photo by: Jenny Barnes

Faatinah was unwanted in betting in the lead-up to the Euclase Stakes, but he was taken straight to the lead by jockey Matthew Neilson, while the other leading chances like Secret Agenda, Jalan Jalan and Miss Gunpowder were all settled in the second half of the field.

The Nicconi gelding gave a good kick when he entered the straight and although he tired in the final 100 metres of the race, he did enough to hold-off a flying Sooboog and Super Cash.

Faatinah was having his first start at black-type level since he finished third behind Hinyuen Swiftness and Deadly Shadow in the Listed Poseidon Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on October 4 last year, but he put the writing on the wall for a Euclase Stakes win with a strong victory at Morphettville on April 16.

The victory of Faatinah gave the Lindsay Park team of David Hayes and Tom Dabernig their second win of the day after they took out the Listed Queen Adelaide Stakes (1050m) with Moqla.

Moqla was well-backed in the lead-up to the Queen Adelaide Stakes and the application of blinkers clearly paid dividends as she raced away from her rivals in the final stages of the race to record a very impressive win.

The big story coming out of the Euclase Stakes was Sooboog, who could not have been more impressive in his first race start for new trainer Darren Weir.

Sooboog missed the start by almost three lengths and struggled to find clear running in the straight, but he absolutely exploded when he eventually receiving a run to finish a narrow second.

The Snitzel colt has proven to be a disappointing galloper for punters during his racing career to fate and he failed to fire in the Listed Manihi Classic (1100m) at Morphettville on April 9, but Weir may have found the trick with the well-bred galloper.

Godolphin-owned Demonstrate also made up good ground late to finish third, while the well-backed Jalan Jalan was never able to get into the race and she could finish no better than eighth – the first time that she has missed the placings during her racing career to date.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.