Articus’ Hollindale plans up in the air
ARTICUS had a big enough reputation to start $8 on debut in Australia in last year’s Caulfield Cup and while the gloss has gone off in two starts since, connections are maintaining the faith as he plots a Doomben Cup path.
The Darren Weir-trained German import will run in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday, provided a suitable flight from Victoria can be found.
If not, he will run at Flemington and then head north for the Doomben Cup on May 20.
“It’s our intention to get him there but we keep getting shuffled back on the flights. We’re hopeful of getting one Friday morning,” Australian Bloodstock’s Luke Murrell said.
Articus, the winner of four 2000m races in France and Germany, ran 13th in the Caulfield Cup and was turned straight out. First-up, he ran 13th at Caulfield again, albeit over an unsuitable 1400m.
“After the Caulfield Cup, we were just gutted,” Murrell said.
“We were really confident there, he had worked well but he just didn’t get around Caulfield.
“That’s the only excuse we could find.
“Then first-up, he would have probably preferred a wetter track but we were happy enough with the run.”
Murrell imported Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist, A-grader Lucas Cranach and Sydney Cup placegetter Big Duke to Australia and has always felt Articus had a level of talent capable of winning a big race here.
He said everything this preparation had been geared to the Queensland carnival but after the first-up run, he asked Weir whether he should lower expectations.
“I said if he had any concerns we were happy to go to Adelaide to win a race, and Darren said he didn’t want to dodge anything with this horse,” Murrell said.
“If you’d seen some of his private jumpouts, you would be pretty happy as an owner.”