Arkansaw Kid set to rebound after luckless Meteorite run, as Lindsay Park replaces injured jockey Michael Dee on Tycoon Star

A $1m race is the worst place for a luckless run but Arkansaw Kid could qualify for another seven-figure feature with victory at Caulfield on Saturday.

A $1m race is not the best place for a luckless run but Arkansaw Kid could qualify for another seven-figure feature with victory on Saturday in the Group 3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

Lindsay Park-trained Arkansaw Kid finished 11th last Saturday in $1m The Meteorite at Cranbourne, bailed up on the rail with nowhere to go and ultimately went to the post untested.

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“It was a very good trial,” co-trainer Will Hayes lamented.

“I thought Blake (Shinn) did the right thing (from barrier 13), we just asked for him to make a quick decision.

“He never anticipated being slow away and he made the conservative decision to ride him cold, we were relaxed, we just didn’t get the luck.

“We were actually alongside (Meteorite winner) Nadal, he went around them, we tried to go through them and ran into brick walls.”

Arkansaw Kid had no luck last week in The Meteorite. Picture: Reg Ryan/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Arkansaw Kid is a $5.50 second favourite with Ladbrokes behind Group 1 winner Tuvalu ($2.60), who placed fifth first up in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m).

Arkansaw Kid won off a seven-day back-up early in the carnival but Saturday will be only the third time the four-year-old Harry Angel gelding has raced beyond 1200m.

He placed third in the Blue Sapphire Stakes (1400m) last year and second in the Sandown Guineas (1600m).

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“We don’t think it’s going to be an issue and he deserves his crack,” Hayes said.

“He came out of that (Meteorite) understandably very well so we’re very happy with him coming into the Kevin Heffernan.

“It was always an option (to back-up) but given the run it made it a no-brainer.

“There’s plenty of upside as the winner gets a free ticket into the slot race, the $1m Supernova.”

Meanwhile, jockey Michael Dee has been sidelined with a shoulder injury.

Dee, booked to ride Tycoon Star in the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m) on Saturday for Lindsay Park, was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital on Friday morning.

The 13-time Group 1 winner sustained the injury in a jumpout fall at Flemington.

Preliminary scans revealed a concussion and rib injury.

Dee has ridden 23 metropolitan winners to date this season, second only to Blake Shinn (27).

Originally published as Arkansaw Kid set to rebound after luckless Meteorite run, as Lindsay Park replaces injured jockey Michael Dee on Tycoon Star