‘He’s a superstar’ – private purchase Arapaho dazzles in G1 Sydney Cup

Arapaho, a €140,000 purchase by Avenue Bloodstock at the 2020 Arqana Autumn Sale in conjunction with his trainer Bjorn Baker and Clarke Bloodstock, smashed through the A$3.6 million earnings barrier on Saturday when the brilliant winner of the Group 1 Sydney Cup during the second day of the Championships at Randwick.

The son of Lope De Vega was placed among horses by Rachel King and made most of his good trip to kick clear at the 250-metre mark and storm clear for a three-length victory, setting a new track record of 3.18.31 in the process.

“We know he’s got acceleration,” said Bjorn Baker, who was joining his father Murray on the Sydney Cup roll of honour. “So impressive, and a great ride today. Rachel King just held him up, held him, held him, held him, and he exploded, which he can do.

“I’m the luckiest man in the world, I’m just lucky to train good horses that are fit, healthy and well.”

The win provided jockey Rachel King with her seventh career Group 1 and third in partnership with Baker.

“You can just see what this horse means to everyone, he’s just been a superstar,” King said.

“He’s won races we never thought he even should have been in at the start and to do what he did today.

“I probably had as many doubts as everyone else about 3200m, I wasn’t quite sure, you know, but the one thing I always say to everyone is I’ve never ridden a horse so honest, he just tries.”

At the time of his sale, Arapaho was a French Listed winner. He has added plenty to his record since then with wins in the G1 Kia Tancred Stakes, G2 Zipping Classic, G3 ACJC Premier’s Cup, Listed Canberra Cup and Listed Grafton Cup. He was also fourth in last year’s Sydney Cup.

Bred by Ecurie Peregrine SAS, he is out of the Listed-winning Dansili mare Alzubra.