Arms Race heating up for crack at Cup
PURCHASED as a sprinter, Arms Race has settled into life as a North Queensland stayer like a duck to water.
Previously trained by Kurt Goldman at Goulburn, the bay gelding was snapped up and sent to the Cannon Park stables of premiership-winning trainer Trevor Rowe for the shorter-course trips.
The four-year-old is by Smart Missile from Zaby Zaby with the experienced Cairns trainer preparing the gelding like a sprinter when he first arrived earlier this year.
“We did not go down the path of him being a stayer — we thought he would be a sprinter — but once he arrived, it was quite clear that he was not a sprinter,” Rowe said this week. “We stepped him up to the longer distance and it worked. He has been very good since then.
“While he was a maiden when he arrived here, he raced well around Newcastle and we thought he would be ideally suited to around here.”
Arms Race had four starts through July and August, with 1500m his longest journey, never running better than third.
His first step up to 2000m in Queensland, on September 1 at Cluden Park, broke his maiden status and he has not looked back since.
Arms Race then made it two wins in three starts at Mackay over 1800m later that month before running second in the $20,000 Mackay NQ Classic 3YO & 4YO Benchmark 70 Handicap earlier this month.
With many Far North stayers following the same form line of late — racing in the Mareeba Cup, Atherton Cup and Gordonvale Cup leading into this afternoon’s Innisfail Cup — Arms Race is one of the only newcomers to the $16,250 Cup field at Pease Park.
“He is up in class but I am very confident he will run out a strong 2000m,” Rowe said.
“In Mackay, he was up in class but not as much as the Innisfail Cup; there are a couple of handy horses.
“I am confident because I know he will run out the 2000m and run it well.
“I think he is an excellent chance.”
Stable hoop Sonja Wiseman takes the ride this afternoon with just 55kg on Arms Race’s back.
The Janel Ryan-trained How Can I Help claimed the Cup at Innisfail last year and is back again for a second tilt.
HE SAID IT
WE THOUGHT HE WOULD BE A SPRINTER BUT ONCE HE ARRIVED IT WAS QUITE CLEAR THAT HE WAS NOT A SPRINTER FAR NORTH TRAINER TREVOR ROWE ON HIS INNISFAIL CUP HOPEFUL ARMS RACE