Miss Finland.....
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Miss Finland retired
Glamour mare Miss Finland has run her last race with leading trainer David Hayes and managing part-owner John Messara announcing her retirement after she finished fifth to Sirmione in the Australian Cup.
Hayes said that jockey Craig Williams pleaded with him not to retire the five-time Group One winning mare who was trapped wide before surging forward to hit the front on the turn before weakening.
"The real Fin (Miss Finland) would have probably sprinted with Sirmione and got beaten half a length because she had a bad run," Hayes said.
"She had no luck, but she's not racing like she was, the winner made her look second rate.
"She's the best two and three-year-old I've ever trained by a long way. She's given me the best ride.
"She's re-established me, so I owe her everything," Hayes added about his return to Australia after 10 years training in Hong Kong.
"John told me he was going to give me the best-two-year-old in Australia and I laughed at him, but she was.
"She's been a highly-competitive four-year-old but not a champion. When she runs fourth in a Cox Plate, second in an Underwood and a Caulfield Stakes everyone is up in arms and a lot of horses can't even get into those races.
"We feel that she's better than that and she's not quite what she was so we'll retire her."
Messara said Miss Finland would be mated with his Arrowfield Stud stallion Hussonet, the sire of star three-year-old and the Newmarket Handicap winner Weekend Hussler, this spring.
Miss Finland's wins included the 2006 Golden Slipper, Thousand Guineas, VRC Oaks and the 2007 Australian Guineas and Arrowfield Stud Stakes.
She is the only filly to win the Golden Slipper-VRC Oaks double.