Trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam has revealed that he is keen to send Arod to Australia for the 2015 Cox Plate after the talented galloper led from start to finish to take out the Group 2 Fred Cowley Memorial Summer Mile Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
Connections are hopeful that Arod can join Adelaide as the only European-trained winners of the Cox Plate. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett
Arod went into the Fred Cowley Memorial Summer Mile Stakes as a clear favourite followed his victory in the Group 3 Diomed Stakes at Epsom on June 5 and he never looked like getting beaten after jockey Andrea Atzeni settled him right on the speed in the early stages of the race.
Chapple-Hyam was delighted with the performance of Arod in the Fred Cowley Memorial Summer Mile Stakes and he confirmed after the race that the son of Teofilo could take on the likes of Solow and Gleneagles in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes (1609m) at Goodwood on July 29 before he potentially makes the trip to Australia for the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 24.
“He’s improved again and Andrea said it was slightly easier than last time (Diomed Stakes at Epsom),” Chapple-Hyam told the media after the race.
“He has to have the ground fast – If it was good to soft I wouldn’t have run him.
“We’ll see how he is and how he comes out of it, but we’ll have to look at the Sussex.
“I can’t duck away forever.
“Hopefully it will be fast ground and the track will suit him, so that’s where we probably will go.
“Australia is possible at the end of the year and (owner) Sheikh Fahad has mentioned the Cox Plate.”
Arod made his racing debut with a third place finish at Kempton Park in November of 2013 and he scored his first race win with a dominant victory at Windsor in April of 2014.
The four-year-old made his debut at Group level with a close second behind The Grey Gatsby in the Group 2 Dante Stakes (2092m) at York on May 15 and he was far from disgraced when fourth in the Group 1 Epsom Derby (2414m) before he returned to winning form with a strong effort at Leicester on July 17.
Arod started his 2015 racing season with a second place finish behind French Navy in the Group 3 Earl Of Sefton Stakes (1810m) at Newmarket on April 16 and he was third in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes (1609m) at Newbury on May 16 before his back-to-back victories in the Diomed Stakes and the Fred Cowley Memorial Summer Mile Stakes.
Arod is currently available at 2015 Cox Plate odds of $21, while Able Friend ($7) remains a narrow favourite from Contributer ($8), Criterion ($9), Pornichet ($10), Kermadec ($13), Tosen Stardom ($13) and Vancouver ($13).
