For more than six years Mishani Stealth has journeyed extensively around NSW and Queensland, tasting metropolitan and country success and, according to his Inverell trainer Shane Edmonds, endearing himself to people because “he’s a great horse to have around”.
But just after 5pm on Tuesday, the nine-year-old gelding will run his last race, in the $35,000 Inverell Cup (1400m), before being returned to his owners in Beaudesert, Queensland, and what Edmonds says will be a “retirement with a family lined up to take him”.
Mishani Stealth, to be ridden by Gary Geran, is the equal top weight (60kg) for the Inverell Cup and is among the favourites for the 11-horse annual race. He finished sixth in it last year.
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Edmonds described him as a “good, tough horse. He gives 110 per cent every time”. But his “feet” were not the best, Edmonds said, adding: “We’re gonna send him back after this one, back up to Beaudesert, and go and be a pony for someone or something.”
Edwards leases the son of Irish stallion Oratorio, out of In The Money. He said: “We had a lot of bad luck with him, you know, just sort of rider errors. He should have won a lot more races … he should have won a lot more this time in, even – they just weren’t great rides.
“I’d rather just see him go to the paddock sound then having to, you know, break him down or anything on bad tracks.”
Mishani Stealth has nine wins from 56 starts, along with 10 second-placings and five third-placings. Three of those wins came in Brisbane: two at Eagle Farm (back-to-back in early 2013) and one at Doomben (late 2014).
He has raced as far north as Cairns and Mackay, winning almost $271,000 in prize money.
The older stager won a benchmark 70 in Newcastle on October 10, then was spelled for eight weeks. In his one start this preparation, he came sixth in an open handicap at Armidale on December 18.
Edmonds believes that Mishani Stealth will perform well on Tuesday, after drawing wide, racing wide and losing to Loud Enough by less than four lengths in the 2018 Inverell Cup.
“He’s drawn a good alley [four] this time, and he should get a good run in the race and be competitive,” Edmonds said.
The trainer added: “I just think that we can finish on hopefully a good note at the [Inverell] Cup, and he can go out on a winning note hopefully.
“He’s a great horse to have around. We’ll miss him … he’s nine years old rising 10 and [it is] probably time to let him go and have a break, you know.”
Edmonds won two straight Inverell Cups with the now-retired Finishing Card (2016 and 2017).
Mishani Stealth’s main rivals include Wayne Oakenfull-trained Puzzling Wonder, and Present Sense (Craig Martin).
Tamworth-based Martin has a good chance of snaring a rare Inverell-Wallabadah Cup double, with Cricklewood entered in the 167th edition of the $10,500 Wallabadah Cup (1500m). Apprentice Sophia Thatcher, claiming four kilograms, will ride Cricklewood.
