Theo Marks Stakes: Arcadia Queen makes huge impression in Sydney debut for trainer Chris Waller
Nudge, nudge, Winx, Winx … trainer Chris Waller could have been forgiven for thinking he may have discovered another one after Arcadia Queen announced her Sydney arrival with much aplomb.
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Sydney’s champion trainer Chris got to experience that Winx-like feeling again as Arcadia Queen made a stunning Sydney debut at Rosehill Gardens.
Arcadia Queen, the Perth wonder mare, showed she is the real deal with a dominant win in the Group 2 $200,000 Theo Marks Stakes (1400m).
Waller admitted as he readied Arcadia Queen for Saturday’s race he felt a bit of pressure for the first time since Winx retired after her 33rd consecutive win in the Queen Elizabeth in April.
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“It was good to get that feeling back,’’ Waller said.
“Today gave me a bit of excitement about race day and just felt on edge a little bit because you’ve been given a very good horse like her to train. There’s a bit pressure involved but I’m very grateful to get the opportunity to train her.
“She was sent over in great condition. We picked out a race to start her off in with a pretty ambitious second up run and it’s worked out brilliantly.”
There was a sense of history repeating itself as James McDonald rode Arcadia Queen to her impressive win and he was in the saddle when Winx began her rise to super stardom in this very race four years ago.
“Arcadia Queen’s a star all right,’’ McDonald said.
“She’s very push button, she knew it was race day today. She settled nicely in behind the leaders and gave her trademark turn of foot.
“She’s beautiful to ride and I love how she pins the ears back and has a good crack — a bit like the horse I won this race on (Winx).”
Arcadia Queen ($1.95 favourite) loomed up three-wide on the turn then sprinted clear to win by nearly two lengths from the fast finishing Trope ($5.50) with Gem Song ($15) a neck away third. The winner ran the Rosehill 1300m in 1min14.96sec. just 0.04sec outside Deploy’s track record.
Waller said he will talk with owner-breeder Bob Peters before deciding if Arcadia Queen has another start before the $14 million The TAB Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 19.
“I’ll have a good chat to Mr Peters, he knows the horse better than me,’’ Waller said.
“Our plan was not to over-race her and I don’t want to take the speed out of her because we’ve got an Everest over 1200m.
“I don’t think she’ll be running again but I’ll have a chat to him.”
Arcadia Queen, who has been selected by slot-holder The Star for The Everest, improved her record to six wins from just seven starts with her Theo Marks success, her first start since last December.
“We haven’t pressed the button on her, I swear,’’ Waller said. “There’s improvement to come, for sure. She’s certainly got a motor there.”
McDonald also maintained Arcadia Queen will only improve with the run.
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“I’ve been watching Chris very closely over the last month with these good horses and he’s just trying to peak them for the right day. He hasn’t screwed this might mare down yet and there’s plenty more to come,’’ he said.
“She’s just been ticking along beautifully in her work and has never really been asked to do much at home. Chris and his team have plenty to play with.”
Arcadia Queen firmed from $11 into the third line of TAB Everest betting at $7 behind Santa Ana Lane ($5) and Pierata ($6).
Trope’s effort to come from near last and claim second was exemplary, his closing 600m sectional of 33.19sec easily the best of the race (Arcadia Queen came home in 33.33sec.)
“You’ll find it hard to find a better run than him today,’’ said Trope’s rider Tommy Berry.
“He is in super order. His improvement from his first start to his second start was massive.
“But he keeps drawing bad barriers. When he can draw a gate and ‘possie’ up midfield a little bit and not have to loop the field every time, he will be very hard to beat. He’s in for a great preparation.’’
BERRY CAPITALISES ON GREAT START
When Mizzy burst out of the barriers, star jockey Tommy Berry decided to seize the initiative and go to the early lead at Rosehill Gardens.
It proved the winning tactic as the race-fit and in-form Mizzy held off Fasika and Champagne Cuddles to win a three-horse thriller for the Group 2 $200,000 Sheraco Stakes (1200m).
“She took luck out of the equation pretty much two strides after the start,’’ Berry said.
“When she jumped so well I took her to the front then you don’t get (easy) sectionals like that very often, it’s gold.
“She kicked really well on the bend and was very tough late so she deserves this. She’s been in great form this preparation, she’s come back better.
“This mare has gone close in Group 1 races a couple of times, she deserves to win one.’’
Mizzy ($5), trained by Anthony Cummings, was under siege from the turn but refused to surrender her lead, defeating Fasika ($3.40 favourite) by a long head with Champagne Cuddles ($4) a head away third.
Cummings praised Berry for being adjusting his riding tactics to suit the situation as it unfolded soon after the star of the Sheraco Stakes.
“Fasika was slow out and gave us an opportunity we hadn’t expected but the plan was to be quick out and follow that horse over,’’ Cummings said.
“But when Fasika wasn’t there it just made life very simple. Mizzy got over, got an easy lead and today that’s been vital for all the winners.
“She’s done a fantastic job so far this preparation. It was great to see her turn up here today in good shape, have a great fight to the line and get the result.”
Cummings said Mizzy will be given her chance in the Group 2 Golden Pendant (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on September 28.
“I’m really pleased to see her win and there are certainly more wins and better wins for her,’’ Cummings said. “We will definitely try and find a Group 1 race for her.’’
Kerrin McEvoy, rider of Fasika, conceded his mare raced without luck after missing the start.
“It was a really good run. She ran a huge race without having a heap of luck,’’ he said.
Champagne Cuddles, like Fasika, was first-up on Saturday so there was plenty of merit in her third placing.
“She ran ‘good’,’’ jockey Brenton Avdulla said. “She had a lovely run in behind the speed and tried very hard.’’
The Paul Cave-trained Spanish Dream, ridden by Kathy O’Hara, produced a boilover result to win the Fugen Construction Handicap (1100m).
TAB BIG BETS
RACE ONE
It was a rough start to the day with Haames landing the money in the TAB Highway (1400 metres) at big odds.
The Colt Prosser runner was a big drifter on the day and went from $12 on Wednesday to $18 this morning but by the time the raced rolled around, $34 was on offer.
Jockey Andrew Adkins stuck to the inside lanes on Haames and got the bob down right on the line to beat Storm Attack ($14-$11) which was nibbled at eachway odds. Poor Corner, which attracted some specking late at triple figure odds, was $126-$81-$101 and ran a bottler in front to hold third.
Gem Dealer ($4.20) went around as the most popular horse and held twice as much as Autumn Ridge ($7) while Weather Channel ($11-$13-$8.50) was a good go in the final 10 minutes of betting.
RACE TWO
Shock Alert went around as the most popular runner in the Everest Carnival Handicap (1800m).
The Bjorn Baker runner went around with approximately 33 percent of the total investment. After tracking the speed set by Perfect Rhyme, jockey Nash Rawiller got to work in the straight and got everything out of the gelding as the pair held off money runner Humboldt Current ($4.20-$3.40) in a great finish.
Lady Cuvee ($12) wound up in third.
BETS: Shock Alert $2200 @ $2.80
RACE THREE
In what was one of the widest betting races of the day, it was Irukandji that gave Bjorn Baker a running double.
The gelding started a $4.40 favourite in the Hyland Race Colours Handicap (1500m) but the real story was the fact it opened at $9 on Wednesday.
One of the first horses backed, Irukandji bottomed out at $4 this morning and was one of the best supported in the race alongside Juventus ($6.50-$4.80).
The pair came away to fight out the finish with Irukandji just holding off Juventus, with Angel Of Heaven ($10) hitting the line nicely for third.
Oneness, another of the Baker runners, was $9-$5.50 late while Adana ($3.30-$5.50) was a noted drifter.
BETS: Irukandji $2000 @ $4.20
RACE FOUR
One of the first real popular picks today in Dabiyr let its backers down in the Rosehill Bowling Club Handicap (2400m).
The Chris Waller runner was nearly six times as popular as anything else in the race and was responsible for 60 percent of the total investment.
Doing all the work outside the leader, Dabiyr hit the front early in the straight but couldn’t repel the challenge of Gayatri ($8.50-$10). Costello, a $6 chance, was a closing third in front of Mrs Madrid ($14).
BETS: Gayatri $1000 @ $10
BETS: Dabiyr $12,500 @ $2.15, $3000 @ $2.15 MULTIPLE TIMES
RACE FIVE
Just Thinkin led throughout to claim the Dulcify Stakes (1500m).
Rated a treat by Tim Clark, the Waterhouse-Bott runner did attract some money but was overshadowed by the likes of True Detective and Castel Santangelo.
Just Thinkin ($8.50-$11) held off the finish of Subedar ($9) which had the sit on it for most of the trip. Shadow Hero ($19) rattled home for third in front of another eye-catcher in Castel Santangelo ($2.80-$5) which had the blows.
True Detective ($4-$3) was the most popular runner in terms of money taken with Castel Santangelo next best in that regard. There was a late push for Superium ($7.50-$6).
BETS: Just Thinkin $1000 @ $9, $1000 @ $8.50
BETS: True Detective $5000 @ $3
RACE SIX
Bivouac repaid his followers with a dominant win in The Run To The Rose (1200m).
The Godolphin runner was a beaten odds-on pop last time out but here, he was supported from $4.40-$4 and did all the work outside the leader to prove too strong.
Josh Parr rated the son of Exceed And Excel a treat as the pair beat Yes Yes Yes ($6.50) and hot favourite Exceedance ($2.15-$2.40) in third.
Team Hawkes’ glamour colt was five times as popular as the winner and held 57 percent of the total investment.
BETS: Bivouac $2000 @ $4
BETS: Exceedance $40,500 @ $2.40, $10,000 @ $2.30
RACE SEVEN
Arcadia Queen did the right thing by favourite backers in the Theo Marks Stakes (1300m).
Chris Waller’s stable rep was a very popular pick in this race but the big money didn’t arrive until late. She hovered around the $1.90 mark for most of today before jumping at $1.95.
James McDonald unleashed the WA mare midway down the straight and she put paid to her rivals, racing clear to beat Trope ($5.50) which came from near last, and Gem Song ($15).
Trope, which was second most popular, only held a quarter of the money that Arcadia Queen did. She was responsible for 60 percent of the total investment.
BETS: Arcadia Queen $10,000 @ $1.95 TWICE, $5000 @ $1.95
RACE EIGHT
Mizzy continued the good run enjoyed by Anthony Cummings in the Schweppes Sheraco Stakes (1200m).
The talented mare was taken straight to the front by Tommy Berry, with the pair fighting off all challengers to beat Fasika and Champagne Cuddles.
Mizzy ($4.80-$5) was pretty solid after opening at $10 earlier in the week.
Fasika was the most popular horse though, going around with 35 percent of the total investment.
BETS: Mizzy $2000 @ $5.50
BETS: Fasika $12,500 @ $3.50
RACE NINE
Spanish Dream led throughout in the Fugen Constructions Sprint (1100m) to end the day on a rough result for punters.
The Paul Cave-trained runner was rated perfectly by Kathy O’Hara and landed at $26 as they held off Star Boy ($14) and God Of Thunder ($2.20).
Punters largely flocked to God Of Thunder to get the job done in the final event, the fav holding a tick over half the market and being leveraged through multis.
All Too Royal ($4.80-$7) had admirers but blew out late while Beau Ideal ($10-$8) was kept safe.
BETS: God Of Thunder $5000 @ $2, $2000 @ $2 MULTIPLE TIMES
BETS: All Too Royal $2000 @ $6