Arkansaw Kid can elevate to another level after gelding operation

Winning $1m in prizemoney wasn’t enough to save Arkansaw Kind from the cut, but it’s a decision that could propel him into a big sprinting player in the spring.

Arkansaw Kid has lost something important but could gain ground on Australia’s best sprinters in a campaign that could land the sprinter in The Everest.

Arkansaw Kid won twice at stakes level and earned more than $1 million as a two and three-year-old but that wasn’t enough for the son of Harry Angel to remain an entire.

The Ben, JD and Will Hayes-trained sprinter will have his first start as a gelding in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes at Caulfield.

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Many TAB punters thought Arkansaw Kid could score first-up at Caulfield, backing him from $4.80 into a $3.60 favourite in early betting on the $175,000 race.

Ben Hayes said the Lindsay Park operation would love the gelding procedure to propel Arkansaw Kid to become a big sprinting player in the spring.

“Hopefully he announces himself as a very good sprinter,” Hayes said.

“We’re looking for some so hopefully he’s one of them.

“The sprinters are very even and our ambitious goal is to get him to The Everest.

“We think he’s good enough.”

Arkansaw Kid finished third in the Blue Diamond and fourth in the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Group 1 level last year.

But Hayes said the speedster often gave the impression he wasn’t giving his all despite being competitive in nearly every run in strong company.

Arkansaw Kid will have his first start as a gelding in the Regal Roller Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. Picture: George Sal/Racing Photos via Getty Images

“It wasn’t easy but I think it was a great decision,” he said.

“He was a horse that wasn’t putting in but producing good results.

“He needs to show us he can measure up but he was one of our best two-year-olds and ran third in the Blue Diamond and he was a stakes winner as a three-year-old.

“He looks like he has trained on. He’s very developed and he’s a big powerful bugger and gives us every sign that he’s going to run well.”

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Hayes added comments from Caulfield and Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Mark Zahra boosted the stable’s confidence in Arkansaw Kid improving this time in.

“Mark Zahra said in his trials that ‘he’s a totally different horse,’ and he gave him a very good feel,” Hayes said.

The Hayes brothers will also give talented mare Caste her first start since September last year in the Regal Roller Stakes.

The stable expected Caste to be competitive on her jumpouts but Hayes said the now five-year-old was likely to find the 1200m of the Regal Roller Stakes too short.

“She is a long time between runs. Almost a year,” Hayes said.

“She had surgery on knee chips and she’s a very tough horse because we never knew she had a knee problem until after (her last) race.

“She’s had a very long build-up so her fitness levels should be good but the 1200m will be on the short side.”

Originally published as Arkansaw Kid can elevate to another level after gelding operation