Feehan Stakes – 2020

Track: Good   Weather: Fine

Following the early scratching of Regal Power, there are 8 runners remaining for the $250,000 Feehan Stakes. The early favourite is Surprise Baby who has five wins from 11 starts and has not started since charging home out wide for 5th in the 2019 Melbourne Cup. He is a very versatile gelding as his wins have ranged from 1200m to 3200m. Second favourite is Harbour Views who returns from a 10 week let-up and has won two from three first-up. He won his only Moonee Valley start and looks well-suited here. Third favourite is Sircconi who was a close 2nd in the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes then a close 2nd in the Listed Heatherlie Handicap at his past two starts and looks very close to a win.

Mahamedeis was 2nd behind Homesman in this race last year. He has won his last two races and should go well again this year. Streets of Avalon goes best at 1400m and is a risk beyond that distance even though he goes well at this track. Coming Around finished 1.25 lengths 2nd over 1523m at Moonee Valley last start on the heavy track when he started as favourite. Humidor has won prizemoney of $4 million but his best days may be behind him, while Exasperate has a great strike rate at this distance with 7 wins from 15 starts, but will find the class rise very hard.

1. Humidor

He has won prizemoney of $4 million but his best days may be behind him. Prefer to watch him go around

2. Regal Power  – SCRATCHED

3. Streets of Avalon

He goes best at 1400m and is a risk beyond that distance even though he goes well at this track.

4. Surprise Baby

He has five wins from 11 starts and has not started since charging home out wide for 5th in the 2019 Melbourne Cup. He is a very versatile gelding as his wins have ranged from 1200m to 3200m. Has to be considered.

5. Mahamedeis

This Magnus gelding 2nd behind Homesman in this race last year. He has won his last two races and should go well again this year.

6. Sircconi

He was a close 2nd in the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes then a close 2nd in the Listed Heatherlie Handicap at his past two starts and looks very close to a win. I think he will be in the finish and should at least claim a place.

7. Exasperate

He has a great strike rate at this distance with 7 wins from 15 starts, but will find the class rise massive and could struggle.

8. Harbour Views

He returns from a 10 week let-up and has won two from three first-up. He won his only Moonee Valley start and looks well-suited here. He has only been out of the trifecta once in ten starts.

9. Coming Around

He finished 1.25 lengths 2nd over 1523m at Moonee Valley last start on the heavy track when he started as favourite. He has not raced at Group level before and will find this much harder than his recent assignments.

The following are the top 4 selections for this years race.

Jo’s Tips
6 Sircconi
8 Harbour Views
5 Mahamedeis
4 Surprise Baby

The track was rated as Good 3

Scratchings were 2. Regal Power.

Result	Horse	Margin
1st	1. Humidor
2nd	4, Surprise Baby	0.4 length
3rd	8. Harbour Views	0.5 length
4th	6. Sircconi	0.6 length