It all went pear-shaped for Arkansaw Kid after a career debut win in the $500,000 Inglis Banner (RL) last spring. Still, the son of Harry Angel (IRE) looked back to the form that saw him finish third in the Blue Diamond, with a fighting win in Saturday’s Listed Stow Storage Gothic Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
Ridden by Damien Oliver for Ben, Will and JD Hayes, Arkansaw Kid came from midfield to defeat the Trapeze Artist fill Facile by a head with the Extreme Choice colt Don Corleonea short-head back in third.
Damien Oliver then had to hold the race in the steward’s room.
Arkansaw Kid pulled up with cardiac arrhythmia after disappointing in the Poseidon Stakes, and Damien Oliver said adding a tongue-tie did the trick.
“It was nice to see him back today. He just raced a bit fresh first-up, and I think down the straigth they can do that when they don’t get cover,” Oliver said.
“Today, the boys put the tongue tie on him and that was a good addition.
“Barrier one with the run under his belt, getting a bit of cover really suited him today.
“It worked out alright. I had to work my way out a little bit, but it worked out pretty seamlessly and he was able to get the job done.
“You can’t beat these big days. The crowd, the weather, and great to have my family here, too.”
Ben Hayes said they have pencilled in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud stakes for Arkansaw Kid.
“He got a bit further back than we wanted, but Ollie rode him beautifully, and he got the gaps and attacked the line,” he said.
“It was good to see him do that because he was so disappointing first-up down the straight having heart fibrillation, but the application of the tongue-tie helped him breath properly, and we saw the real horse he is.
“It was a big thrill. Five weeks since his last run. We resisted running him down the straight (Flemington).
“Hopefully, we might be able to try again in the Coolmore. We’ll see how he pulls up. That might be the direction we head with him.”
Consigned by Sledmere Stud to the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Arkansaw Kid was knocked down to Lindsay Park Bloodstock for $190,000.
Bred and part-owned by Philippa Duncan Bloodstock, the son of Harry Angel (IRE) is the best of five winners from six to race for the Exceed And Excel mare Florabella, a three-quarter sister to Group 1 CF Orr Stakes winner Shinzig (Danehill) and Listed winner Strada (Danehill).
A daughter of Group 1 Coolmore Classic heroine Shindig (Straight Strike), Florabella has a 2-year-old sister to Arkansaw Kid, which was a $250,000 purchase for John Wheeler from the Sledmere Stud draft at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Florabella has a yearling colt by Harry Angel (IRE) and foaled a filly by Too Darn Hot (GB) on October 9.
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