Arapaho Gold remains perfect and delivers another quality leap in the Gimcrack Stakes
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Michael Dods' unbeaten juvenile captured his fourth consecutive victory in York's traditional G2, topping Final Objective by 3/4 of a length. The Mill Reef Stakes now looms as the next and final target of his season
KNAVESMIRE, England (Special for Turf Diario).— Every time the bar is raised, Arapaho Gold responds. And this time he did so on a major stage, maintaining his perfect record by capturing the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes (G2) at York, one of Europe's premier stakes for 2-year-old sprinters.
The Michael Dods trainee reached four victories in as many starts, validating all the promise he displayed when recently stepping up to black-type company to land the Rose Bowl Stakes (L) at Newbury.
His story began much further down the ranks, with a pair of minor wins at Thirsk, separated by a troublesome episode at Beverley where he had to be scratched after becoming agitated in the starting stalls. None of that seems to have left a mark, as his development since has been continuous.
This time, with Connor Beasley aboard as the 2-1 favorite, Arapaho Gold had to dig deep. For a moment he looked bottled up and came under pressure, but once clear running room opened up, he leveled off quickly, unleashed a powerful turn of foot, and held on to score by 3/4 of a length over Final Objective (Sioux Nation), while Hell Of A Spin (Naval Crown) rounded out the trifecta.
"Once he got out and started running, I was relaxed. Halfway through the race he was looking for a bit of room, but when it appeared, he accelerated really hard," Michael Dods explained.
The conditioner was particularly impressed by the winner's late response: "Connor told me that over the final 100 meters he gave him a great feel by the way he accelerated and pulled away from them. He's a good horse. This was a big step up in class and he took everything in stride. Every time we've asked him to step up a notch, he's done it, and now he's done it again. He's a remarkable horse."
Michael Dods knows full well what it takes to win at York. He has enjoyed some of the most significant triumphs of his career on this track, including back-to-back victories by Mecca’s Angel (Dark Angel) in the Nunthorpe Stakes(G1)—the second coming exactly ten years ago—alongside the six victories registered on Knavesmire by the memorable Dakota Gold (Equiano).
For that reason, he did not hesitate to place Arapaho Gold's triumph among his most cherished memories: "We've been very lucky at York, but this ranks right up there with Mecca’s Angel's two wins. Winning this race is incredible."
His immediate future is already virtually mapped out. Arapaho Gold will now target the Mill Reef Stakes (G2) at Newbury before heading to the farm for a seasonal breather.
"He'll head to the Mill Reef, and that will probably be it for this season. After that, we'll see where we go next year. He has the speed for 1,200 meters, as he just proved, and I don't think he'll have any issue getting 1,400 meters. He accelerates and he gallops. It's a nice problem to have when planning his future. He's a very exciting horse and it's fantastic to have him in the yard," Michael Dods added.
Final Objective also left a strong impression, with his connections briefly entertaining victory when launching his bid with 200 meters to run.
"It was a massive performance. We're delighted because the horse ran a huge race," commented Richard Brown, racing adviser for Wathnan Racing. "It hasn't been easy and Hamad Al Jehani has done a great job with him. This was the best run of his career."
The Prix Eclipse in France looms among his possible next targets, while cheekpieces could be applied after he showed signs of greenness once again.
Third went to Hell Of A Spin, who proved competitive in a major race yet again after placing in the Molecomb Stakes. Trainer Adrian Keatley did not rule out seeking an opportunity in France before concluding his campaign.
Nevertheless, all eyes remained on Arapaho Gold, who started winning at modest levels and hasn't stopped progressing since. Four starts, four wins, and now a G2 trophy in the bag: his ceiling, for the moment, remains anyone's guess.
