KEY POINTS:
Star mare Miss Finland continued her dominance of expensive stallion prospect Haradasun when she scored a comfortable win in Saturday's feature Memsie Stakes at Caulfield.
The dramas the David Hayes stable encountered in getting a permit from both the South Australian and Victorian governments to take Miss Finland from Lindsay Park to Melbourne during the equine influenza (EI) crisis proved worthwhile.
Hayes has nothing but admiration for the daughter of Redoute's Choice who didn't arrive at his Flemington stables until 11pm on Friday after the nine-hour trip.
"It was a good effort to travel over last night and win," Hayes said.
"Basically she's been on her feet for 24 hours. She's a true superstar."
Ridden by Craig Williams, Miss Finland ($4.40) enjoyed a lovely midfield run after drawing barrier three and went past Haradasun ($3.20 fav), who was forced to do it tougher racing outside leader Cinque Cento, to score by a length.
The Mark Kavanagh-trained Tipungwuti ($41), who raced in the first five throughout, was a half-length away third in a very encouraging second-up performance.
Miss Finland has now beaten Haradasun on each of the three occasions they have met, at the same meeting last year in the McNeil Stakes and in this year's Australian Guineas when she won and he finished fourth.
However, trainer Tony Vasil was still quite upbeat despite the defeat of the Fusaichi Pegasus 4-year-old whose sale of a 50 per cent share to Coolmore Stud valued him at A$45 million ($52 million).
"She's a champion but if you reverse the barriers, you probably reverse the result," he said.
"You didn't have to be a rocket scientist to realise there was not going to be a lot of pace in the race and from the outside barrier (13) we knew he'd have to go forward.
"Damien [Oliver] was ecstatic with him and said he's improved three lengths since the Bletchingly."
Williams was excited after Miss Finland's win. "She relaxed so well today," he said.
The 4-year-old has now won 11 of her 18 starts and Hayes rated the win highly.
"Of all her races this was the most important for her credibility," he said.
"They [Miss Finland and Haradasun] are going to have some great battles.
"In fairness we had the total gun run today."
The pair are now set for a return clash in the group two Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 15.
Last year's winner El Segundo did a good job to come from last to finish fourth, while stablemate Blutigeroo was eighth past the post but was disqualified after jockey Danny Brereton weighed in 1kg light.
Miss Finland is now the $3.80 Cox Plate favourite with corporate bookmaker Michael Eskander's Betstar, firming in from $4.60 and displacing Marasco ($4.40).
El Segundo firmed from $6.50 to $5 for the Moonee Valley feature on October 27 while Haradasun is at $6.50.
- AAP
