Michael Dods has reported his star juvenile Arapaho Gold is in fine fettle following his Gimcrack Stakes success, and will likely be headed toward the Mill Reef Stakes next.
By promising first-season sire Bayside Boy, Arapaho Gold is unbeaten in four starts this season. Already gelded, he made a successful debut at Thirsk in May beating a host of subsequent winners.
Connections found a weak enough contest next time out, but he comfortably won under a penalty stepping up in trip. He was pitched in significantly deeper company in the Listed Rose Bowl Stakes next time out, but he gamely fended off the Godolphin runner up.
Despite taking a keen grip at York and having to be woken up early by Connor Beasley, he produced a striking performance. It was a poignant success, as connections’ Dakota Gold, a six-time course winner, was recently retired. His half-brother Commanche Falls remains in training, but Arapaho Gold could eclipse the pair.
Speaking to At The Races, Michael Dods said: “He’s come out of the race well – he never turned a hair, to be fair. Connor gave him a little canter and was pleased with him. It was a brilliant day. They’ve got to keep stepping and every time we’ve asked him to step up he has, hasn’t he?”
Newbury, Ascot, ‘and that’s it for the season,’ suggests Michael Dods
Unlike the majority of classy juvenile sprinters, being a gelding means contests such as the Middle Park aren’t available. Regardless, the improving sprinter is likely to be seen twice more this season, culminating on Champions Day.
Dods continued: “All being well he’ll go to the Mill Reef and then we’ll see. It will all depend on the weather in October.
“There is a two-year-old race at Ascot on Champions Day, so he could run in that. Those would be the two races we’d be looking at and then that would be it for the season. I see him going six or seven furlongs, I think he’d be going either.
“He will be more difficult to place as a gelding. But we’d have definitely had problems if we hadn’t gelding him, we’ll see what there is.”
Having hit the line strongly at York, it’s no surprise Dods believes he can step up in trip next season. Bayside Boy has unsurprisingly produced multiple seven furlong winners already, however his stock are certainly not short of speed.