Arrowhead launched the China Horse Club’s ‘weekend assault’ in scintillating fashion when leading all the way to salute in Singapore this evening.
The determined three-year-old is the first of five CHC runners competing over two countries and set a marker for his peers. Zululand ($400,000 G1 Champagne Stakes in Sydney, Australia), Olympic Anthem ($125,000 G3 Gunsynd Classic in Brisbane, Australia) and Scarlet Moretta ($80,000 Routleys Bakery Handicap in Melbourne, Australia) will be flag bearers once again in Australia while the club’s talismanic Tropaios ($S350,000 G2 Queen Elizabeth Cup in Singapore) will tackle a staying trip for the first time since his eye-popping last to first win in the G1 Longines Singapore Gold Cup last November.
“It is a fantastic start to what we hope will be a great weekend,” said the CHC’s General Manager Eden Harrington post-race.
“Danny Beasley rode Arrowhead with great initiative and daring and Arrowhead gave his all. I have already started to hear from China Horse Club members, our horses are certainly followed and everyone is naturally delighted.
“The focus now swings to Zululand, Olympic Anthem and Scarlet Moretta in Australia and Tropaios in Singapore. Hopefully all of our horses have even luck. If they do I’m sure they will perform with aplomb.”
Trainer Michael Freedman was delighted with the win of Arrowhead who was the third of three runners initially given to him by the CHC. Overshadowed by Tropaios and Rite of Spring, the powerfully made sprinter needed a little more time to acclimatize to Singapore and now looks to be doing so.
“Going into the race it was the best I have seen Arrowhead look since he came to Singapore and his performance indicated that,” Freedman said.
“Arrowhead always tries his all and so you can never discount him but a wide draw was a concern. Danny and I spoke before the race about being positive, he saw that that was the best way to ride him and he was able to overcome that wide draw and it was a very good riding display.”