Arcadia Queen and Regal Power miss crucial All-Star Mile trial while Perth in COVID-19 lockdown

WA’s five-day COVID-19 lockdown could have a major impact on prominent Perth owner Bob Peters’ bid for another win in the $5 million All-Star Mile.

Owner Bob Peters has plenty of worries ahead of the Melbourne autumn carnival.

Perth’s COVID-19 lockdown could derail the preparation of All-Star Mile favourite Arcadia Queen.

WA Premier Mark McGowan locked down Perth and two other major areas for five days after a hotel security guard tested positive to the highly infectious UK strain of COVID-19.

The lockdown caused an early end to Sunday’s Bunbury meeting but also forced a crucial set of trials at Belmont to be scrapped on Monday.

Arcadia Queen and last year’s All-Star Mile winner Regal Power were set to have their first trial of the autumn in the same 1000m heat.

Arcadia Queen leads All-Star Mile voting while Peters hoped Regal Power would gain a Racing Victoria wildcard into the $5 million event at The Valley on March 13.

Owner Bob Peters told Perth broadcaster TABRadio the pair missing the trial was a significant hiccup.

“It messes them around completely,” Peters said.

“They were due to trial on Monday and then next Monday, then fly to race at Caulfield on the 20th.

“This just throws everything out.”

Star WA mare Arcadia Queen missed a trial at Belmont on Monday.

Peters said he was worried the pair, and the rest of his Melbourne-bound team, would not even get to Melbourne if the COVID-19 outbreak severely disrupted flights out of Perth.

He added it was probably too late to put his team on a truck to make the long road trip east.

“The thing that worries me is the flights, whether they fly or not,” Peters said.

“I think they’re too close to the races they are headed for to truck them over so I don’t know what’s going on with the flights.

“We just have to wait and see what comes along and what is available to us.”

Peters said Arcadia Queen and Regal Power could travel to Melbourne with only one trial under their belts but that would depend on when grass tracks re-opened for gallops.

“We need to get them off the sand onto the grass and give them some decent hit-outs or they’ll be a long way behind,” Peters said.

Originally published as Arcadia Queen and Regal Power miss crucial All-Star Mile trial while Perth in COVID-19 lockdown