A
truly run race set up the perfect conditions for Cambridge three-year-old Lord
Arthur who stormed to victory in the Group II Valachi Downs Championship Stakes
(2100m) at Ellerslie.
A half-brother to dual New Zealand Horse of the Year, Bonneval, the Camelot
gelding is prepared by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, who had produced
stablemate The Chosen One for victory in the Group III Frank Packer Plate
(2000m) at Randwick barely thirty minutes earlier.
Touted as a staying prospect earlier in the season, Lord Arthur had been
thereabouts in his recent starts that included an eye-catching run for sixth
behind The Chosen One in the Gr.3 Manawatu Classic (2000m) at Awapuni.
Allowed to settle well back in a strung-out field which was led at a true pace
by fellow Cambridge raider, Gehrig, Lord Arthur and rider Jake Bayliss lobbed
along quietly before making their run at the 600m.
Promising filly Intrigue struck the front with 250m to run but just as she was
being hailed the winner, Bayliss brought Lord Arthur down the outside to swamp
her and win by a length and a half.
"That was very impressive," Murray Baker said.
"He's a half to Bonneval who has been a little bit immature. We've spaced his
races and given him plenty of time.
"I gave him a stayer's show today with plenty of pace on. He showed good
acceleration."
Baker had the inkling his charge was starting to round into form after
strengthening up in recent weeks.
"He's been a bit weak, but he's started to get it together in the last month or
so," he said.
"There is a possibility he could go on to Brisbane from here."
Bayliss was all smiles after picking up the ride on Lord Arthur on race
morning.
"I came in with a fair bit of confidence after picking the ride up this
morning," he said.
"There was good speed on throughout the whole race and he was travelling so well
coming to the corner.
"He gave me a good turn of foot although when we got to the front, he started
to do a little bit wrong.
"In twelve months-time he is going to be a key stayer for the cup races."
Passed in a Karaka and retained to race, Lord Arthur is the fifth stakes-winner left by remarkable
producer Imposingly, whose offspring include champion Bonneval, a as well as Group
III winners Imposing Lass, Lady Cumquat and Full of Spirit. By champion sire
Zabeel, Imposingly is a three-quarter sister-in-blood to Group I stars
Champagne and St Reims and has the perfect record of eight foals to race all
winners.
She is now in foal to Pierro.
The 14th stakes-winner worldwide for Camelot, Lord Arthur is the
first Southern Hemisphere bred stakes-winner for Montjeu's champion son, who
shuttled to Coolmore Australia for one season.