News
November Horse of the Month
4th Dec 2006
William Inglis & Son is immensely proud of its graduates who every month promote our name in winners circles around the globe.
This month we are delighted to recognise the achievements of
MISS FINLAND
Breeding: 3yo filly by Redoute’s Choice ex Forest Pearl (USA), by Woodman (USA)
Vendor: Arrowfield Stud as agent
Owners: Arrowfield Pastoral Pty Ltd (Mgr Mr J. Messara), Planette Thoroughbred Trading Pty Ltd (Mgr Mr J. Leaver) and Belford Productions Pty Ltd (Mgr A. Jones)
Trainer: D. A. Hayes
Crowned Champion 2YO after a dominant 4½ length victory in the Gr 1 Golden Slipper this year and at this stage Champion 3YO filly elect after an electrifying performance to take the Gr 1 VRC Crown Oaks at Flemington. Following these performances Miss Finland is more than a worthy candidate for William Inglis & Son’s November Horse of the Month award.
Arrowfield Stud, the place of Miss Finland’s birth, base their breeding on the principle that all horses are bred to be sold, and if they feel they would like to race one of their yearlings, they then join the yearling buyers and purchase them at sale time. This was the exact philosophy that now sees Miss Finland racing in the famed Gold and Black diamonds, colours which are synonymous with talented gallopers of the past including the likes of Flying Spur, Baryshnikov, Freestyle, Not A Single Doubt, Opportunity, Mahaya (NZ) and Joie Denise just to mention a few.
Having been purchased from the 2005 Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Miss Finland’s purchase price of $450,000 was considered relatively inexpensive compared to the average of her sire at over $600,000.
Being the first foal of the unraced Woodman (USA) mare Forest Pearl (USA), Miss Finland’s pedigree contains many outstanding distance horses including her grand-dam Moonshell (IRE), a winner of the Gr 1 Epsom Oaks as well as two sons of Sadler’s Wells (USA) in the shape of Doyen (IRE) and Hatha Anna (IRE), both brothers to Moonshell (IRE).
Creating history in 2006 by winning the Gr 1 treble of the prestigious STC Golden Slipper (1200m), MVRC Thousand Guineas (1600m) and the VRC Oaks (2500m), Miss Finland’s famous feat is not something that will easily be repeated anytime soon.
Considered very unlucky in the Gr 1 Cox Plate, the start before her Oaks demolition, Miss Finland looks set for an extensive campaign upon returning from a spell. Managing owner John Messara has mapped out an ambitious Autumn campaign that would see the filly race solely in Gr 1 races in both Sydney and Melbourne comprising of the C F Orr Stakes and Futurity Stakes both over 1400m in Melbourne before heading to Sydney for the Coolmore Classic (1500m), Arrowfield Stakes (2000m) and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m). If her form warrants it after these starts, she may head overseas to Royal Ascot for the mile of the Gr 1 Queen Anne Stakes.
Having tasted success in 7 of her twelve starts, the daughter of Champion Sire Redoute’s Choice has amassed over $3.2 million dollars in prize money to date, which not only provides her connections with an initial monetary gain, but also adds considerable worth to the filly that could be considered priceless upon retirement from the racetrack.
William Inglis & Son would like to congratulate the connections of Miss Finland and wish them the best of luck for her future campaigns both locally and internationally.
