Arapaho takes aim at second Tancred win
SYDNEY Trainer Bjorn Baker is confident Arapaho is going well enough to have a genuine chance of becoming a dual winner of the A$1.5 million (S$1.26 million) Group 1 Tancred Stakes at Rosehill on March 29.
Arapaho last won the Tancred Stakes in 2023. Now, the eight-year-old is set for another crack at the weight-for-age staying feature run over 2,400m after he missed last year's renewal.
The Lope De Vega gelding will be striving to join former racetrack stars Tie The Knot and Octagonal as a two-time winner of the Tancred Stakes.
Tie The Knot won the race back to back in 1999 and 2000, while Octagonal achieved success as a three-year-old in 1996 before winning again in 1997.
Arapaho was narrowly beaten by his Tancred Stakes' rival, Vauban, in the Group 3 Sky High Stakes (2,000m) on March 15. But he has previously performed creditably over shorter trips when fifth in both the Apollo Stakes (1,400m) on Feb 15 and the Verry Elleegant Stakes (1,600m) on March 1.
Baker is looking forward to stepping Arapaho back up to 2,400m.
"He's going great," said the Australian-based Kiwi handler.
"He won the race two years ago. His runs this preparation have been outstanding, so it's hard to think he's not going better than ever.
"The 2,400m suits, he looks good and I think he definitely goes in with a really good chance.
"We know he excels at 2,400m, that's probably his best distance. With a bigger field and more tempo on, I think it will suit him."
Along with his 2023 Tancred Stakes' win, Arapaho is also a winner of the 2024 Group 2 Zipping Classic (2,400m) in Melbourne.
Baker believes Arapaho has been building towards a peak performance.
"His work since (his last start) has been very good, so we're very happy with him," he said.
Jockey Rachel King is set to continue her association with Arapaho in the Tancred Stakes.
Meanwhile, 2024 Group 1 Queensland Derby (2,400m) winner Warmonger is also among the 22 nominations in the Tancred Stakes.
The four-year-old ran second to Alalcance in the Listed Randwick City Cup (2,000m) at his last start on March 8 and trainer Michael Kent Jr was thrilled to see that form franked in the Group 3 Manion Cup (2,400m) on March 22.
"Second-up at 2,000m, he was much better. It was a very good run and the form has stood up with Alalcance bolting over 2,400m (in the Manion Cup)," said Kent, who trains in partnership with Mick Price.
The William Haggas-trained UK visitor Dubai Honour is favourite in an early pre-nominations market for the Tancred Stakes at 9-5, ahead of Vauban at 5-2 and Arapaho at 5-1.
Dubai Honour won both the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2,000m) and the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,000m) in Sydney during the 2023 Autumn Racing Carnival.
The Tancred Stakes is one of two Group 1 races held at Rosehill Gardens on March 29, along with the Vinery Stud Stakes (2,000m) for three-year-old fillies. SKY RACING WORLD
