Arod second in Flemington Group Three
Arod (pictured right) buried the memory of two below-par runs in Australia 12 months ago when finishing second in today's Gr.3 L'Oreal Paris Stakes at Flemington.
In a field of 11, Qatar Racing's five-year-old made steady progress in the home straight, but having put his head in front was passed in the final 100 metres by the wide-finishing winner Rageese, who won by a length. Arod was ridden by Craig Williams, and was making his first start for Sydney-based Chris Waller, having formerly been under the care of Newmarket trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam.
Qatar Racing manager David Redvers has tweeted a Sky TV recording of the race or you can watch the closing stages via justhorseracing.com https://www.justhorseracing.com.au/fields-results/results/loreal-paris-stakes-results-and-replay-2016/355361
On a previous trip to Australia Arod had failed to show his best, albeit he was taking on the best of horses in the Gr.1 Cox Plate and Gr.1 Emirates Stakes. Today's much better effort continued a burst of places for Qatar Racing runners in Stakes races, and followed South Seas second spot in Sunday's Gr.1 Grand Criterium at Saint-Cloud, and a third place on Tuesday by La Rioja in the Gr.3 Prix de Seine-et-Oise at Maisons-Laffitte.
The 2016 running of the Emirates Stakes takes place on Saturday, the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival meeting, when Waller will run Qatar Racing's Endless Drama, who has transferred from Ger Lyons' stable.
Classic-placed last year, and third in this year's Gr.1 Lockinge Stakes, Endless Drama has been impressing his new handler in preparation for the 2,000m test. Waller says: ‚"I have been very happy with the work he has shown me over the past two weeks, which has included a trial which he won impressively, a racecourse gallop at Moonee Valley last Friday night, and his pieces of work between then and now have also been good.‚"
Craig Williams will be in the saddle in a race in which Andre Fabre's Vadamos and Charlie Appleby's Scottish are two European runners. It is due off at 4.15pm local time, 5.15am in the UK.