Australian Cup Champion Calls It A Day

AUSTRALIAN Cup champ Fernando Mick has run his last race and has been retired to stud.

The son of Fernando Bale-Noaki Moth retires to breeder and owner Paul Connell's property and will stand at a stud fee of $2000.

His career embraced 107 starts for 35 wins, 23 seconds and 16 thirds for stakes of $867,000 to make him 15th on the all-time money winners list in Australia.

“He will go to Sandown Clinic on Tuesday to have his semen appraised and we are in the process of getting his DNA done,” said Paul.

“He's been home a week and has settled in really well.

Fernando Mick was absolutely fantastic in Australian Cup Final for David Geall! pic.twitter.com/e3GL8evuYL

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 26, 2023

“My thanks to David and Rose Geall for taking him to such great heights during his race career and winning what he did.”

Fernando Mick won the G1 Australian Cup and Hobart 1000.

He was beaten a neck in the G1 Melbourne Cup but was also second in the G1 Maturity.

“He made 13 Group finals and at his last start ran in The Sandgroper in Perth,” said Paul.

“He went above and beyond anything we could have hoped for.”

David Geall already has three sons of Fernando Bale at stud, My Redeemer, Koblenz and Ferdinand Boy.

Fernando Mick has a real stud dog's pedigree being by the champion sire of his time, but from the famed National Lass/Waroo Lass direct damline.

Successful stud dogs Oaks Road and Magic Sprite are from the same family, a family that continues to toss up superstars.