The racetrack is not a catwalk, but Artorius and Argentia are good examples of how fashion also plays a part in racing.
Heading into last Spring, the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained pair was seen as a must-have item for anyone looking ahead to the Group 1 Guineas races in Melbourne with Argentia favourite for the girls’ edition and Artorius the punters’ pick for the male equivalent.
But after winless campaigns,Anamoe and Espiona were the models most were talking about heading into the second half of the season.
Both Artorius and Argentia kick-off their autumn campaigns at Caulfield on Saturday with Mark Zahra in the saddle; Artorius in the $300,000 Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m) and Argentia in the $200,000 Group 3 Kevin Hayes Stakes (1200m).
The fillies-only Hayes Stakes is Argentia’s first start since finishing eighth in the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes last September, with her only appearance resulting in a dynamic Flemington win, and while Sam Freedman is cautious about her prospects first-up he remains convinced she is a Group 1 filly.
“She’s had a couple of jumpouts but she’s also a fair time of the scene – we haven’t been hard on her – and she’s drawn a sticky gate (14), so you’d probably be wary of her first up,” Freedman said of the daughter of Frankel.
“We’ll ride her quiet just to finish off. She’s in for a good campaign hopefully, but we don’t want her to have a real gut buster there on the weekend.
“The (Group 1) Surround Stakes is a potential run for her second-up, if she returns in good shape, otherwise there are plenty of other fillies options for her.”
Argentia is an $8 chance in TAB’s Kevin Hayes market, while Artorius is $4.20 favourite for the Rubiton Stakes.
“He’s pretty fit and ready to go,” Freedman said of last year’s Blue Diamond winner, who although winless in Spring did place in both the Caulfield Guineas and Coolmore Stud Stakes.
“He’s running in this and then the Newmarket, so he’s pretty forward, but the 1100 might be a little sharp for him.
“He’ll probably miss the start and be somewhere near the back of the field, but he’ll work home very strongly and if the track’s playing fair and the speed’s on, he can quite easily pick them up and get over the top of them.”
