The Goulburn trained Oh Arthur came to town on Wednesday and capitalised on the $100,000 Super Maiden at Canterbury with the Lucy Longmire trained Flying Artie gelding progressing from his recent eight plus length trial performance to break his maiden over 1100m by a little over two lengths.
Eventually pulling himself to the lead under jockey Adrian Layt after racing slightly keenly, once in front Oh Arthur went a few lengths clear where it appeared he appreciated being out on his own.
As the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr trained race favourite Crossways went forward to settle in second, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Farfecthed, the Farnan half-sister to stakes winner Miss Debutante dropped back into third.
With the blinkers on Oh Arthur was showing no signs of stopping as the gelding charged into the home bend, extending his lead down the short Canterbury straight to pull clear and win by a little over two lengths.
Charging into second was the David Pfieffer trained Isawyou, just ahead of 3yo Churchill (IRE) gelding Churchillian with that pair coming home over the top of the favoured pair of Farfetched and Crossways who finished fourth and fifth.
“He's got that part right,” stated Adrian Layt post-race. “He's quick but everything else in between is a work in progress.”
“Once we got into the gates, he was good. He went in there and that's the problem with him. I think it's everything in between.”
“I think we've just got to teach him. He's nowhere near the bottom yet, he had a good blow then, so... he's sort of got a lot of fitness on his side and plenty of upside there.
“I'm pretty sure I'll get around him.”
Withdrawn when consigned at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale as part of the Amarina Farm draft, the Craig Anderson bred Oh Arthur is the second winner from three to the races out of the 800m-winning Starcraft mare Tsarlight.
With 99 winners so far this season and 14 stakes winners overall headed by G1 winners Artorius and Asfoora, Flying Artie will stand for a fee of $14,850 (inc. GST) during the spring at Blue Gum Farm.
