Previous Sydney Cup champion Arapaho is poised to bypass most of the Sydney autumn carnival following an initial preparation hiccup.
The nine-year-old endured a foot abscess that postponed his comeback, culminating in his initial barrier trial at Randwick on Thursday.
Jockey Rachel King, who rides him regularly, shares a strong bond with the gelding trained by Bjorn Baker, having guided him to success in the Sydney Cup, and notes that even with the minor setback in training, the horse remains in excellent spirits.
“He looks as fresh and well as ever,” King said.
“He’s pulling his way around like a two-year-old every day. He’s like Peter Pan, he doesn’t get older.”
Arapaho, absent from the racetrack since a midfield effort in the Melbourne Cup, managed two starts by this stage last year.
King acknowledges the additional period needed to address the foot problem will restrict his Sydney autumn appearances, though she anticipates opportunities in Queensland.
“He might miss some of these main races at carnival time, but we’ve got Brisbane as well. There is no rush,” she said.
“He might end up being more at the back end of the carnival here, and then Brisbane.”
King has recently resumed riding in Sydney after a fruitful stint in Japan, including one fixture postponed by snow.
The leading rider highlighted piloting Darlinghurst, half-sister to star Forever Young.
“I got to ride Forever Young’s little sister. She won earlier in the day, and he won on the Saturday night, so that was cool, getting to ride horses like that,” King said.
“I ended up with sixteen winners in a month and a couple of stakes winners.
There were two weekends where I rode five winners each weekend, so it was another successful trip.”
She quickly found form back home, securing a double at Warwick Farm on Wednesday before claiming a Midway Handicap aboard Zenmaster at Randwick on Saturday. For the latest racing odds, explore Australian betting sites.