Fernando Facing ‘Wow' Of A Task In Adelaide Cup

Fernando facing ‘Wow' of a task

By Gerard Guthrie

Australian Trainer of the Year David Geall concedes Wow She's Fast's rivals in Friday night's Group 1 Adelaide Cup Final (530m) at Angle Park are "running for second".

Geall will have his first Adelaide Cup finalist in Fernando Mick, winner of his last four starts and unbeaten in two appearances at Angle Park, including an impressive 30.39sec heat victory last Thursday.

FIELDS AND FORM ANGLE PARK THURSDAY NIGHT

However, the son of 2015 Adelaide Cup hero Fernando Bale is only rated a $9 chance to claim a breakthrough Group race success at his sixth attempt, with fellow Victorian Wow She's Fast a dominant $1.60 favourite.

Wow She's Fast, trained by Kel and Jackie Greenough, secured direct entry into the Cup final courtesy of a track record-breaking 29.86sec victory in the Match Race Challenge, bypassing the heats.

"If Fernando Mick can nail the start, I think he's a good chance to run second," Geall said.

"If Wow She's Fast begins, we're all running for second. I can't kid myself. She's in a class of her own.

"I think Fernando Mick can run a great race behind her, as long as he gets out.

"It is a different lure over there and he missed the start the first time but rounded them up and got away with it and then he began a lot better in his heat. 

"He has been getting out well. He ran 5 ‘dead' at Sandown, and 5.06sec there the start before.

"Nowadays, he goes really straight if he begins. But if he misses it, he will try and head for the outside. It's hard to see him getting a peaceful run, with Wow She's Fast on his outside. That's my worry."

Five Victorian sprinters will line up in the $100,000 to-the-winner Cup final, with Fernando Mick (Box 3) and Wow She's Fast (Box 5) joined by ‘Team Dailly' duo Zippy Tesla (Box 4 – $6.50) and Dusty Bourbski (Box 7 – $14) and Photo Man (Box 6 – $9), trained by Gavin Clifton.

Fernando Mick has been a grand campaigner for Geall and owner/breeder Paul Connell, winning 27 of his 83 starts and banking $178,586; however, a Group trophy has thus far proven elusive.

"He deserves to win one," Geall said.

"He ran a close second in the (G1) Maturity (2021) and ran near the record in a Cranbourne Cup heat (29.62sec). 

"We're hoping by the end of the year, he can win one, but we'll be looking for a series where Wow She's Fast isn't there!"

Geall was also eyeing off Sunday's G2 Bendigo Cup heats with Ferdinand Boy, which ran fifth in the 2021 Bendigo Cup final.

However, the country cups king is only a "remote chance" to take his place after sustaining a back injury when unplaced at Geelong last Friday night.

PAWNOTE: Geall's 2018 Melbourne Cup winner My Redeemer was ‘on fire as a sire' over the weekend.

My Redeemer (Fernando Bale x Where's Demonica) produced five winners at Sandown Park on Sunday – Great Guy (29.52sec), Nike Apache (29.61sec), My Bonneville (29.86sec), first starter Whatever Shorty (29.99sec), and Summer Lovin' (42.62sec).

He also produced two winners at The Meadows on Saturday, Hummock (34.59sec) in the $12,000 to-the-winner Grade 5 600m final, and Tobin Frost (34.73sec), while Unsee This (27.25sec) claimed time honours in Friday night's G3 Mandurah Cup heats.