Young Cranbourne trainer Alex Rae has had his patience tested as he eagerly awaited the return of Lofty Arch to the racetrack this autumn.
After just three starts, the three-year-old is set to make his comeback in the Group 3 Zeditave Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Lofty Arch showed promise last spring, winning on debut at Cranbourne and following up with a win in the Listed Gothic Stakes (1200m) on October 26 before going for a spell.
Rae had the option to enter Lofty Arch in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington, but chose patience, knowing the horse would benefit from further development.
“He was thrown in the deep end his first preparation and dealt with it well,” Rae said. “We knew he needed to take a significant step from his first prep to his second.”
Now stronger and more mature, Lofty Arch has had a measured build-up to his return. Rae selected the Zeditave Stakes as a suitable starting point, hoping it could lead to bigger prizes later in the autumn.
“First-up, against his own age, we just want to see him return in good order,” Rae said. “If he progresses as we hope, we could look at the Newmarket Handicap.”
But for now, Rae is focused on Saturday’s race, knowing that a solid performance would be the first step toward Lofty Arch’s next challenge.