Gosford trainer John Cooper is confident Arabolini can take out the $130,000 Cliff Clare Handicap at Randwick on Saturday.
Beaten by under a length a fortnight ago after copping a check at the 150m that halted all momentum, Cooper couldn’t have been more proud of his five-year-old gelding for the way he recovered and hit the line.
Arabolini remains at the 2400m and runs into a few familiar faces he has beaten prior. One of those is Bjorn Baker’s gelding Harpo Marx who is the even money favourite and second elect Pecuinary Interest, both beaten by Arabolini.
The Pomellato gelding gets back onto a dry surface tomorrow, a surface he is yet to salute on and is drawn the widest. With plenty of early tempo engaged in the race, Arabolini and his front running tactics are sure to be tested.
“I know that the horse inside of us (Spencer) will probably go forward too,” Cooper said.
“I’d say that if no one wants to lead we will definitely lead and if they’re going to go hard, we will try and get a nice sit and keep the pace pretty honest and try and work home from there.
“He ran second at Newcastle on a Good 4 but he hasn’t been able to win on a good track yet. Hopefully tomorrow we will be able to change things around.
“I definitely think that at that price ($8), that it’s a good price to have a bet, he’s going well, and we are happy with him.”
If Arabolini is to win tomorrow’s event it would provide Cooper with his maiden metro win and a possible target race.
“It’d be an amazing thing for us if we happened to get up, we would love it and we would be pretty excited,” Cooper said.
“I don’t know whether we’d be able to hold the emotions in. He’s been with us for a little while now, he’s a great horse. It would be a big achievement for us.
“It (future plans) sort of depends on how happy he is. If he races well and pulls up well after I’ll have to have a good look at what’s going on. If he doesn’t (race/recover well) then I’ll look at giving him a spell.
“If he went really well tomorrow, I’d be interested in possibly looking at the Wyong Gold Cup or something like that.”
Arabolini is an $8 chance while Harpo Marx is currently a $1.95 favourite with Tab.com.au
