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The Zipping Classic 2024 results went the way of the punters on Saturday with the Bjorn Baker trained favourite, Arapaho, best handling the Heavy Caulfield track to salute.

A class field of spring stayers faced off in this year’s Group 2 $750,000 Zipping Classic (2400m) with eight-year-old Arapaho proving too good with a nearly one length triumph.

It was a nice return to winning form for the evergreen veteran who celebrated his first turf triumph since last year’s Group 1 Tancred Stakes back in March 2023.

“He’s a special horse for the team,” stable rep Luke Hilton told the media post-victory.

“It’s taken a long time to get him back. He put the writing on the wall a couple of starts ago and he backed it up again in the Champions Stakes (when fifth behind Via Sistina), and then he’s just franked it today.

“He’s a Group 1 horse and he’s back.”

Jockey Rachel King, married to Hilton, kept her strong spring going with success in the day’s feature.

King gave the eventual Zipping Classic winner a perfectly timed ride with Arapaho letting down strongly on the outside once on the straight to join the front running Smokin’ Romans with 200m left to travel.

Those two fought it out over the final furlong with Arapaho proving too strong getting the lead 100m out and drawing away for a three-quarter length win over the Ciaron Maher-trained last start VRC Queen Elizabeth winner Smokin’ Romans.

“He’s a dream, I can’t take much credit for it, he gets out there and does it,” King said.

“Good, Soft, Heavy (tracks), he does the same and I was all horses tried like him – he’s just got the biggest heart.

“It was extra special today. We lost one of his owners (Paul Griffin) not long ago and had his funeral this week, so I think ‘Griffo’ gave us a push over the line today.”

They put a gap on the rest of the field with the next best over to complete the Zipping Classic trifecta 5.5 lengths beaten being Berkeley Square.