Fifth SW for Blue Hen

Tara Madgwick - Saturday April 20
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.

Lord Arthur - image Trish Dunnell

Lord Arthur - image Trish Dunnell

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."

Lord Arthur as a yearling

Lord Arthur as a yearling

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.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Stakes Goals Now For Promising Pride Of Dubai Filly
Promising Pride Of Dubai filly Sun ‘N’ Sand will tackle stakes grade at her next start after winning the Casino Canberra Canberra Guineas Preview at Canberra on Friday.
Camelot 3YO Aiming for Queensland Derby
Cambridge trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman are likely to have a small, but select team of two target the Queensland carnival, with progressive three-year-olds Lord Arthur and Bobby Dee on a path towards the Group I Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 8.
Wootton Bassett 1st Foal from G1 Winner a Debut Winner - Half to Easter
State Visit is the first foal of Oakleigh Plate winner Celebrity Queen that Coolmore paid a sale-topping $2.5million for at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale in 2021, and he produced an outstanding debut with a hard finishing victory at Canterbury on Friday night.
Last Lot in Catalogue Tops Book Two in Perth
The last lot of the catalogue wrapped up a successful 2025 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale when it sold for the day's highest price.
Star mares confirmed among early entries for Chairman's Sale
Entries for the 2025 Inglis Chairman’s Sale – a world class boutique auction for elite breeding stock – are now open.
Remarkable Mare Gets An Oaks Winner After A Slipper Winner - Half at Easter
Her first foal was a Golden Slipper winner, her seventh foal is an Oaks winner – that’s the story of Eye For Fun thus far, the dam of Cinch, Tasmanian Oaks winner on Friday night and 34th stakes winner for Dundeel.
20th SW for Camelot
Montjeu’s Epsom Derby winning son Camelot sired his 20th stakes-winner in Ireland overnight with a win in the Listed Hurry Harriet Stakes for blue-blooded filly Goddess, whose pedigree makes for interesting reading.
It's Poetic - Can It Lead To Cups Success?
It’s almost poetic – a horse bred in France, by Australia, starting his career in Ireland but giving notice at Moonee Valley on Friday night he’s on his way to stardom in - Australia.
Derby Dreamer for Camelot
Memories of Jezabeel's Group I Auckland Cup (3200m) triumph will be rekindled when her colours are in action at Ellerslie on Tuesday, exactly 21 years after the first leg of her notable staying double.
Farnan's Milllion Dollar Colt a Debut Winner
Golden Slipper winner Farnan’s first season continues to build steam with his highest priced yearling to date, Farcited becoming winner number four on debut.