The Melbourne Cup came up a bit quickly this year for progressive Frankel stayer Pinhole (GB), who had a hard luck story in the Group II Moonee Valley Cup two weeks ago, but he made amends in decisive fashion at Flemington on Saturday winning the $300,000 Group III VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m).
Trained by Chris Waller and ridden by James McDonald, Pinhole started favourite and charged to the line to win by nearly three lengths taking his overall record to six wins and two placigns from 17 starts.
Listen to that roar ??? PINHOLE delivers in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes for @mcacajamez and @cwallerracing. #StakesDay https://t.co/odT8bfDnf1
— Victoria Racing Club (@FlemingtonVRC) November 7, 2026
"He's a bright, bright stayer of the future," said Chris Waller.
"He was a good winner at Caulfield two starts ago, and then last start he had no luck at all.
"So he's a really promising horse, and it's all about getting him to the I guess the Cup for next year. It's a good step forward. He'll be qualified and we just have to find the best path for him now."
A Juddmonte homebred that was trained originally by Ralph Beckett, Pinhole won two of seven starts in the UK and was snapped up by Chris Waller Racing for 200,000 guineas at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale last year.
A big horse with a massive frame, he was always going to be an interesting watch when he came to Australia and that watch will continue into next year when he may well blossom into a Melbourne Cup contender.
Pinhole is a full brother to Group I winner Quadrilateral and is the second stakes-winner among seven winners from Nimble Thimble, a half-sister to Group II winner Three Valleys and also to a mare called Back Pass (USA) that made her way to Australia where she left Group winners Scissor Kick and Sharkbite.
Third dam Kerali has spawned a whole dynasty of stakes- winners for Juddmonte that include celebrated blue hen Hasili and her myriad of G1 winning descendants, so Pinhole lacks for nothing in pedigree.
Pinhole is by the same sire Frankel as this year’s commanding Melbourne Cup winner Point of Law (GB).
