In a massive shake-up to the Ladbrokes Cox Plate markets the Caulfield Stakes 2020 results went the way of back-in-form Perth mare Arcadia Queen who blitzed the odds-on favourite Russian Camelot in a shock result ahead of the Australasian weight-for-age championship.
Danny O’Brien’s Underwood Stakes winner Russian Camelot was the hot pick to salute again in the Group 1 $1 million Caulfield Stakes (2000m) on Guineas Day and further secure his all-in favouritism for the Group 1 $5 million Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 24.
What the punters and bookies hadn’t predicted however was the airborne William Pike and his brilliant mount Arcadia Queen, the duo biding their time at the back of the Caulfield Stakes field before running down the top elect in outstanding fashion.
Pike celebrated a treble in the opening six races on the card thanks to another patient ride at the tail-end of the six-horse field.
Gailo Chop jumped well and went straight to the early lead ahead of the fellow OTI Racing galloper Harbour Views, while Russian Camelot ran around in third and of Humidor on the rails.
Arcadia Queen looked in an awkward position in sixth tucked away, but Pike didn’t panic as they went around at a steady speed.
As they approached the 600m Russian Camelot, jockey Damien Oliver was wanting to get going on Russian Camelot who stalked the front runners coming around three-wide on the corner.
Once on the straight however it was Arcadia Queen who burst through and turned over the favourite for a one and quarter-length victory, while Humidor rounded out the trifecta in third.
“She travels strong no matter where you put her,” Pike said post-win.
“I knew my only chance was to try and catch him (Russian Camelot) in the last 200m. There was no point trying to match motors with him.
“I just sat back and bided my time.
“I got a pretty nice run…she cruised to the line late.”
A Group 1 winner over in W.A. in the Kingston Town over 1800m as a three-year-old, the Grant & Alana Williams-trained Arcadia Queen had, until Saturday, failed to really live up to that form racing in Melbourne and Sydney.
The now five-year-old daughter of Pierro however presented fit in the Caulfield Stakes fourth-up and relished her maiden voyage over the 2000m to turn the tables on Russian Camelot who she ran third to in the Underwood last time out.
“It’s great to see. This has been a lot of months in the making,” an emotional Grant Williams told Racing.com.
“It’s been a great team effort.
“It’s bloody great.
“It’s typical Willie Pike, cut the corner, got onto the back of the horse that we were hoping to follow through the race.
“It’s just great to see her back and now we can look forward to the Cox.”
It was the first Group 1 win for the stable in Victoria, Arcadia Queen rewarding the team’s decision to remove the bar plates, and she looked the goods peeling off the favourite’s back to salute in the ideal Cox Plate lead-up.
“Of course (the Cox Plate)! Good girl. I’m pretty proud of her,” Pike added.
“She’s always been a stable favourite so it’s good to see her back in the winners’ list.”
All-in Cox Plate odds online at race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au have been slashed on Arcadia Queen from $19 into $5.50 second favouritism behind Russian Camelot who has only eased out slightly from $2.90 to $3.20.
Click here for the latest Cox Plate futures markets thanks to Ladbrokes.com.au.
2020 Caulfield Stakes Results
Colour | Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 5 | ARCADIA QUEEN | Grant & Alana Williams | William Pike | 5 | 57kg | $5.50 | |||
2 | 6 | RUSSIAN CAMELOT (IRE) | Danny O’Brien | Damien Oliver | 1.25L | 4 | 56.5kg | $1.40F | ||
3 | 2 | HUMIDOR (NZ) | Chris Waller | Craig Williams | 3.75L | 1 | 59kg | $8.50 | ||
4 | 4 | HARBOUR VIEWS (FR) | Matthew Williams | John Allen | 4.5L | 6 | 59kg | $26 | ||
5 | 1 | GAILO CHOP (FR) | Matthew Williams | Dean Yendall | 5.25L | 3 | 59kg | $21 | ||
6 | 3 | LEVENDI | Peter Gelagotis | Jason Maskiell | 7.25L | 2 | 59kg | $41 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.