Rachel King and Bjorn Baker have combined to win the Group 3 Premier’s Cup for the second year in succession, this time with rejuvenated gelding Arapaho.
Despite launching his current campaign in April, Arapaho is still finding some suitable marks, claiming the Grafton Cup two starts ago then bouncing back from a midfield effort last start to get the spoils in Saturday’s 2000m Randwick feature.
Baker and King captured the corresponding race with Harpo Marx 12 months ago when it was run at Kembla Grange due to COVID-19 restrictions, but Baker said there was nothing like winning at headquarters.
“How good was her (King) winning last year with Harpo Marx and Darby, but that was at Kembla Grange. Nothing against Kembla, I love it, but Randwick at the start of spring, what a day,” Baker said.
“I just had a talk upstairs and I said, ‘he’s a bit of a fickle Frenchman’.
“He doesn’t like a lot of work, we don’t do too much with him but Rachel really got him into a good rhythm.”
Many had Arapaho pigeon-holed as a wet track specialist, particularly after his 7-1/2 length romp on a heavy track at Rosehill in May.
But he has shown his versatility to win the Grafton and now Premier’s Cups on surfaces bordering on good.
Baker isn’t sure of his immediate plans for Arapaho but will keep all options on the table, including the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup.
“He’s nominated for everything, he’s even in the Cups,” Baker said.
“We will just have a bit of a think about it. He’s been up for a long time and I’m really mindful of that.”
Arapaho ($21) scored by a neck over Francesco Guardi ($8.50) with Lord Ardmore ($3.20 fav) another half-length away.
The Queen’s horse Chalk Stream reared just before the gates opened and missed the start hopelessly but was declared a starter, managing to beat one rival home.
