Encouraged by last season’s success in New Zealand, Ben Hayes is confident Arkansaw Kid can make an impact when he contests the Railway Stakes at Ellerslie on Saturday.
The Group 1 sprint marks the opening leg of a trans-Tasman campaign for the five-year-old, following a path similar to that taken by Here To Shock when he won in Auckland last year.
Hayes said the gelding had travelled well and was thriving ahead of the feature.
“He left after his trial last week and we are really happy with him,” Hayes said.
“It is full steam ahead.”
Arkansaw Kid sharpened up with a jump-out victory at Flemington earlier this month, coming off a strong third in the $1 million The Supernova at Pakenham in December.
The form out of that race has been franked, with several subsequent winners emerging.
“We had success last year and Arkansaw Kid, I think he is a very good group two horse in Australia who is competitive in group ones but always finds one better,” Hayes said.
“We thought it is a great opportunity to try and win a group one with him.
“With the set weights and penalties conditions, he gets in there quite nicely in the weights.
“He will then go on to the same race that Here To Shock won, then maybe the Canterbury Stakes in Sydney after that.”
Early odds have seen Arkansaw Kid well supported across major online betting platforms as punters look to latch onto the Hayes formula again.
The gelding was last seen finishing second in the The Meteorite at Cranbourne, with fellow Railway Stakes contender Jigsaw taking out that event.
The post Kid ready to roll in Railway Stakes first appeared on Just Horse Racing.