A wet track for the Cox Plate made it impossible for Arcadia Queen to show her best that day leaving her with an unsatisfactory fifth place finish, but back on top of the ground at Flemington, the daughter of Pierro proved her superiority with a commanding victory in the $2million Group I VRC Mackinnon Stakes (2000m).
A homebred for Bob and Sandra Peters trained by Grant and Alana Williams, Arcadia Queen won the Group I WATC Kingston Town Classic as a three year-old, but has really blossomed this spring as a five year-old.
She won the Group I MRC Caulfield Stakes (2000m) two starts ago cruising away from Russian Camelot and confirmed the merit of that win when racing to a length and three-quarter win for Luke Currie in the Mackinnon
Arcadia Queen showed her class as she was way too good for Group I Australian Cup winner Fifty Stars and New Zealand Horse of the Year Melody Belle with co-trainer Grant Williams declaring her the best horse bred by Bob and Sandra Peters.
"She's the best. She was a really good three-year-old and she's had a few issues on the way, but to do this is just fantastic,” he said.
"We set a target to win one (Group I). We've won two and it's even more special being her. It's well documented all the problems that we've had with her (feet issues), it's unbelievable.”
Now a triple Group I winner, Arcadia Queen has the overall record of eight wins and three placings from 15 starts with prizemoney topping $3.9million.
A sister-in-blood to Pierro’s Group I winner Regal Power, Arcadia Queen is a sibling to Group winners Arcadia Dream and Arcadia Prince as well as stakes-winner Arcadia Rose being the best of seven winners from seven foals to race from blue hen Arcadia.
A 16 year-old daughter of Redoute’s Choice, Arcadia has a yearling filly and colt foal by Pierro to follow in the footsteps of Arcadia Queen.
Coolmore’s Golden Slipper winning sire Pierro has done a remarkable job at stud producing half a dozen Group I winner so far, but in Arcadia Queen he has an absolute superstar, something a lot of stallions never ever get.
