Arkansaw Kid has thrust himself back into Group 1 discussions after defending his crown in the Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington.
The gelding, now a seasoned five-year-old, erased the frustrations of his first two starts this campaign when he finally landed the result that had been eluding him. Under Blake Shinn, the $3.20 favourite travelled sweetly before surging to a half-length win over last year’s winner Star Patrol, with Media World in third.
Co-trainer J D Hayes revealed the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes could be Arkansaw Kid’s next stop. “We’ve never backed him up before, but the way he went today suggests he might thrive on it,” Hayes said. “The winkers were a gear change that really sharpened him up.”
Hayes added the gelding has flourished since maturing from a three-year-old colt into a seasoned handicapper. “He’s always promised to be a Group 1 horse in handicaps. His first two runs this prep didn’t go our way from wide barriers, but today he showed exactly what we’ve believed in all along.”
The Sir Rupert Clarke looms as a logical option, with Arkansaw Kid already proven at the trip and having gone close in the Supernova last year.
Bettors can secure early odds on Arkansaw Kid’s potential Caulfield test through Australia’s top betting sites.