, Feehan Stakes Preview - Moonee Valley Spring Racing Carnival
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Feehan Stakes Preview

The Feehan Stakes is a Group 2 race run under weight-for-age conditions each September at Moonee Valley racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria. It's raced over a distance of 1600 metres and worth $500,000 in prize money. The 2020 Feehan Stakes was won by Humidor from Surprise Baby with Harbour Views third.

From 2005 to 2018 the race was known as the ‘Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes’, before refverting back to the ‘John F. Feehan Stakes’ from 2019 onwards. It's held on the same day as the Group 2 McEwen Stakes for sprinters.

Feehan Stakes info

Date: Saturday 4th September 2021
Track: Moonee Valley racecourse, Melbourne
Distance: 1600 metres
Race Type: Weight-for-age
Status: Group 2
Prize Money: $500,000
2020 Winner: Humidor

The Feehan Stakes takes place at the tight Moonee Valley race track during the early stages of the Melbourne spring racing carnival. It attracts quality milers, along with top class types on their way to bigger and better races later in the spring. This race has grown in stature in recent times with many runners going on to taste victory in some of our biggest feature events.

The Feehan Stakes has been a great guide to spring feature races over the past few years with winners and placegetters providing Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup and WS Cox Plate winners.

Three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva (2nd in 2004-2005) was twice a runner-up in this event on her way to her last two Cup wins, while Green Moon (2nd in 2012) went on to claim the 'race that stops a nation' after running second in this event. Dual Cox Plate winners Fields Of Omagh (2002), Northerly (2001) and Sunline (2000) were all winners of this race.

Other classy horses to win the Feehan Stakes include Whobegotyou (2009-2010), El Segundo (2007) and Better Loosen Up (1990), and the race is generally taken out by a quality galloper who may go on to record more feature race wins throughout the spring.

Homesman (2019), who finished second last year, resumed from a long spell to score a classy on pace victory in this event for the Liam Howley stable.

Recent Feehan Stakes winners include Magic Consol (2018) and Bonneval (2017).

Spring Carnival Guide

Suprise Baby (4th in 2019) took out the Group 3 The Bart Cummings at Flemington at his next start.

Homesman (2nd in 2018) took out the Group 1 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield next time out, while Night's Watch (3rd in 2018) captured the Gr3 Naturalism Stakes, also at Caulfield, after running third in this event. Hartnell (4th in 2018) headed to Sydney to win the Group 1 Epsom Handicap at Randwick following his fourth placing in this event. Classy mare Bonneval (2017) went on to win the Underwood Stakes.

Interestingly enough, both Jameka (7th in 2016) and Gris Caro (7th in 2014) took out the Gr3 Naturalism Stakes after running seventh in this race.

Mourinho (6th in 2015) and Foreteller (3rd in 2014) both won the Underwood Stakes at their next outing, while imported galloper Crackerjack King (8th in 2014) finished third in the Underwood Stakes. The United States (6th in 2016) snared the Gr2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley next time out.

Fiorente (2013) went on to finish third in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley before winning the Melbourne Cup at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November.

Happy Trails (2012) managed to win the Group 1 Emirates Stakes during the four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington after winning this race while runner-up Green Moon (2nd in 2012) went on to win the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington before taking out the Melbourne Cup at the same track.

Rekindled Interest (2011) went on to run third in both the WS Cox Plate at Moonee Valley and Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington after winning this race, before returning to run third in this race the following year.

Valley specialist Whobegotyou (2009-10, 3rd in 2011) twice won this race before finishing third in his hat-trick attempt. He went on to win races such as the Group 1 Underwood Stakes and Group 1 Caulfield Stakes during a wonderful career, which also included a third placing in the 2012 WS Cox Plate.

The Feehan Stakes has been a pivotal race of the spring in the past few years and it may pay to keep a close eye on horses who perform well in this year's event.

2020 Feehan Stakes result

1. $18.00 Humidor 59.0 Damian Lane
2. $3.30 Surprise Baby 59.0 Craig Williams
3. $5.50 Harbour Views 59.0 John Allen

then followed
4. $4.40 Sircconi 59.0 Daniel Stackhouse
5. $6.50 Streets Of Avalon 59.0 Ben Melham
6. $10.00 Mahamedeis 59.0 Rhys McLeod
7. $71.00 Exasperate 59.0 Brian Higgins
8. $10.00 Coming Around 59.0 Craig Newitt

Margins: 0.4 len, 0.1 len
Time: 1:36.18

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Feehan Stakes winners & placegetters

Year Winner 2nd 3rd Time
2020 Humidor Surprise Baby Harbour Views 1:36.1
2019 Homesman Mahamedeis Best Of Days 1:37.0
2018 Magic Consol Homesman Night's Watch 1:36.5
2017 Bonneval Abbey Marie Rhythm To Spare 1:37.3
2016 Awesome Rock Real Love Set Square 1:37.0
2015 The Cleaner Bagman Dibayani 1:36.3
2014 The Cleaner Mourinho Foreteller 1:35.9
2013 Fiorente Spacecraft Lidari 1:37.2
2012 Happy Trails Green Moon Rekindled Interest 1:35.5
2011 Rekindled Interest Alcopop Whobegotyou 1:37.6
2010 Whobegotyou Typhoon Tracy Shoot Out 1:39.6
2009 Whobegotyou Mic Mac Jolie's Shinju 1:37.3
2008 Guillotine Casual Pass Tears I Cry 1:35.9
2007 El Segundo Haradasun Cinque Cento 1:36.2
2006 Lad Of The Manor Apache Cat Spinney 1:35.8
2005 Lad Of The Manor Makybe Diva Fields of Omagh 1:37.6
2004 Delzao Makybe Diva Studebaker 1:42.5
2003 Natural Blitz Vocabulary De Gaulle Lane 1:36.7
2002 Fields Of Omagh Magical Miss Le Zagaletta 1:40.4
2001 Northerly Sunline Sir Clive 1:37.1
2000 Sunline Le Zagaletta Citra's Prince 1:37.9
1999 Inaflury Londolozi Streak 1:40.0
1998 Aerosmith Willoughby Doriemus 1:37.4
1997 Arctic Scent Derobe Sir Boom 1:40.0
1996 Toil Poetic King Cheviot 1:39.3
1995 Beaux Art Sharscay Count Chivas 1:35.9
1994 Tristalove Redding Primacy 1:34.3
1993 Palace Reign Pearl Prince Kiwi Golfer 1:39.9
1992 Naturalism My Brilliant Star Ramyah 1:40.8
1991 Mannerism Redelva Ivory Way 1:40.7
1990 Better Loosen Up Stylish Century Our Westminster 1:35.5
1989 Our Westminster Vo Rogue King's High 1:33.1
1988 Our Poetic Prince Flotilla Vo Rogue 1:33.1