Brought to Australia as a Melbourne Cup contender last year, Churchill gelding More Felons (IRE) announced himself as a serious Sydney Cup candidate with a strong finishing last stride win in the $200,000 Listed ATC Parramatta Cup (1900m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Trained by Chris Waller and ridden by Josh Parr, More Felons was having his first run back from a break after running fifth in the Geelong Cup and then 12th in the Melbourne Cup.
Stakes placed in the UK last year when placed in the Group III York Silver Cup, More Felons landed his first Black Type win with a thrilling surge along the fence claim victory.
“He’s a lovely horse and did a great job in the spring, albeit without winning the Melbourne Cup,” said Chris Waller.
“He’s had a short turn around from that and has come back really well and it was good to see him finishing off strong that last 100m.”
More Felons has the overall record of five wins and two placings from 16 starts and looks set to make his mark in the feature Australian staying races this year.
More Felons is a half-brother to Group III winner Onenightidreamed and stakes-winner Goolwa from good producing Pivotal mare Pivotalia, whose family bristles with European Group winners.
More Felons is the 18th stakes-winner for Galileo’s champion son Churchill, who has been a regular shuttler to Coolmore Australia for the past six seasons.
