French Bred Stayer Arapaho Tops $4mil with Sydney Cup Romp

Craig Tompson - Saturday April 12

The remarkable eight-year-old, Arapaho (Fr)  threw aside any two-mile doubts with a brilliant win in Saturday’s Group I Sydney Cup, taking his career earnings over $4million.

Arapaho wins the Sydney Cup. Image: bradleyphotos.com.au

Despite being beaten just a nose by Vauban in the 2000m Ranvet Stakes 2000m two runs prior followed by a game fourth to Dubai Honour and Duke De Sessa in the Tancred Stakes at weight for age over the 2400m, Arapaho went into the Cup reasonably unfancied at $21.

As the race unfolded there was a strong pace set by favourite Alalcance which had to work to get there, and Rachel King found herself in a perfect spot one off the fence behind the lead pack with her horse settling into just the type of rhythm you like to see in a distance race.

Advertisement

When that lead pack came under pressure and began wilting rapidly, he all but pulled his way to the lead with King sitting pretty and once she asked for the all-out effort he responded brilliantly to beat Waltham (Roaring Lion) by three lengths with River Of Stars (Sea The Stars) third.

“You can just see what this horse means to everyone,” said King.

“He's just been a superstar. He's won races we never thought he even should have been in at the start, and to do what he did today. I probably had as many doubts as everyone else about 32(00).

“I wasn't quite sure, you know. One thing I always say to everyone is I've never ridden a horse so honest. He just tries. 600 metres from home, he looked the winner already. I was bolting.

“I had to sort of count to ten and just wait until I got to the top of the rise. He's got an awesome turn of foot for a stayer.”

The victory takes his overall record to 10 wins from 44 starts but since arriving in Australia it is seven wins and seven placings from 37, including a win in the 2023 Group I Tancred Stakes and last year’s Group II Zipping Classic at Caulfield.

It’s his sixth stakes success, and in fact in Australia he’s “only” been seen 17 times at trips of 2000m and longer which have produced six of his wins and five placings.

Arapaho (FR) was a Listed winner at Deauville at three for Andre Fabre before coming to Australia.

Bjorn Baker Racing/Avenue Bloodstock/Clarke Bloodstock shelled out €140,000 for the son of Lope de Vega at the 2020 Arqana Autumn Sale.

He is a half-brother to Listed winner Alula Borealus (Kendargent) and Group III Colin Stephen Stakes winner Athabascan (Almanzor), who was runner-up in the Group 1 Sydney Cup and one of his opponents today.

They are three of the four winners out of the Listed Saint-Cloud Prix Dahlia winner Alzubra (Dansili).

Advertisment

Race Result - Schweppes Sydney Cup Gr1 3200m

Randwick Track: Good(4) Time: 3:18.31
1
Arapaho
- 8g Lope De Vega (IRE) x Alzubra (GB) (Dansili (GB))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: Rachel King 56
2
3
Waltham
- 5g Roaring Lion (USA) x Ruscombe (GB) (Dansili (GB))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: Reece Jones 50
3
3.5
River Of Stars
- 6m Sea The Stars (IRE) x Amazone (GER) (Adlerflug (GER))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Tyler Schiller 52
4
4.1
Mostly Cloudy
- 6g Harzand (IRE) x Clarinda (FR) (Montjeu (IRE))
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: Braith Nock 50
5
4.3
Athabascan
- 6g Almanzor (FR) x Alzubra (GB) (Dansili (GB))
Tnr: John O'Shea & Tom Charlton Rdr: Tommy Berry 53.5
6
5.9
Garachico
- 6g Ribchester (IRE) x Frine (IRE) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: Dominic Sutton Rdr: R Dolan 50
7
6.6
Zarir
- 5g Frankel (GB) x Zarshana (IRE) (Sea The Stars (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Damian Lane 56
8
6.8
Cleveland
- 7g Camelot (GB) x Venus De Milo (IRE) (Duke Of Marmalade (IRE))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: Jamie Melham 51.5
9
6.8
Birdman
- 4g Free Eagle (IRE) x Carol (IRE) (Acclamation (GB))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Zac Lloyd 50
10
6.8
Circle Of Fire
- 5h Almanzor (FR) x Fiery Sunset (GB) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: J R Collett 55
11
6.9
Strathtay
- 5g Preferment (NZ) x Miss Remington (AUS) (Savoire Vivre (GB))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J Ford 50
12
7.1
Zardozi
- 4m Kingman (GB) x Chanderi (GB) (Dubawi (IRE))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: K Mc Evoy 53
13
9.5
Warmonger
- 4g War Decree (USA) x Princess Sapphire (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: Ashley Morgan 53
14
14.2
Duke De Sessa
- 6g Lope De Vega (IRE) x Dark Crusader (IRE) (Cape Cross (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: H Coffey 56.5
15
15.4
Hopeful
- 8g Motivator (GB) x Monst (IRE) (Monsun (GER))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald Rdr: A Adkins 50
16
16.5
Age Of Sail
- 6g Frankel (GB) x Concordia (GB) (Pivotal (GB))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: Dylan Gibbons 51.5
17
16.7
Alalcance
- 5m Mastercraftsman (IRE) x Albamara (GB) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Tim Clark 52
18
17.5
Lastotchka
- 6m Myboycharlie (IRE) x Muthla (FR) (Muhtathir (GB))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: A Gibbons 50.5
19
17.6
Tajanis
- 5g Australia (GB) x Baheeja (GB) (Dubawi (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: A B Collett 50
20
37.2
Francesco Guardi
- 7g Frankel (GB) x Trophee (FR) (Mr Sidney (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Teodore Nugent 51.5
More Reading...
Magic Trials at Caulfield Heath
Early season two-year-olds will step out this Thursday, 2 October, at the Caulfield Spring Trials presented by Magic Millions, with 800m 2YO heats following the opening trial for Group performers at 7:30am on the Caulfield Heath.
Goffs Orby Day 2 - Trio of Million Dollar Yearling Fillies
The second day of the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale took off overnight with three individual yearlings selling for a million or more with the full sister to dual Group I winning champion 2YO Colt Blackbeard selling for €1.9 million to MV Magnier.
Arapaho Claims the G2 Zipping Classic
Taking a step back from the silk department, Bjorn Baker’s fantastic money spinner Arapaho (FR) made a delayed trip to Melbourne worthwhile for Rachel King with victory in the $750,000 Group II Quayclean Zipping Classic (2400m) at Caulfield.
Lope De Vega's Arapaho Triumphs in Premier's Cup
After winning the Group III ATC Premier's Cup (2000m) twelve months ago with Harpo Marx (IRE) (Galileo), trainer Bjorn Baker and jockey Rachel King went back to back with Arapaho (FR) at Randwick on Saturday.
Lope De Vega's Arapaho Captures Tancred Stakes
Twelve days after winning the Listed Canberra Cup, the six-year-old Lope De Vega gelding Arapaho (FR) scaled the heights to Group 1 success in the Kia Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill.
Kiwi Raider Pier Upbeat Ahead of Epsom
Co-trainer and part-owner Darryn Weatherley is taking a glass half full approach ahead of Saturday’s Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) after he came up with an awkward wide gate for Pier.
Promising Victory For Too Darn Hot’s Ripley
Racing in the same Qatar Bloodstock coloured silks worn to victory on Friday night by West of Swindon (Wootton Bassett) in the Group 2 Stutt Stakes, 3yo Too Darn Hot colt Ripley highlighted his future potential with a two-length maiden victory at Rosehill on Wednesday.
Godolphin’s Lonhro Filly Proficient On Debut
From the penultimate crop of Darley’s Champion Sire Lonhro, the Ben, Will and JD Hayes trained 3yo filly Proficient started the race favourite, winning the Sportsbet Race Previews Plate (1000m) at Sandown Hillside in a fighting finish. 
Arapaho Strikes in Canberra Cup
Arapaho’s last three runs have come in the Melbourne Cup, Apollo Stakes and Chipping Norton Stakes. So, with nothing of the calibre of Anamoe in Monday’s $200,000 Listed Canberra Cup, it was the perfect time to revisit the winner’s circle for the first time since the Premier’s Cup at Randwick last August.
Almanzor Mare Chasing More Black Type
Group Two performer Mary Shan will be in search of an elusive stakes victory when she heads south to Hawera on Saturday where she will contest the Gr.3 Grangewilliam Stud Breeders’ Stakes (1400m).