Arkansaw Kid, last month’s Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) runner-up, is set to represent Lindsay Park in Saturday’s inaugural $1 million The Meteorite (1200m) at Cranbourne.
The gelding, trained by Ben, Will, and JD Hayes, was confirmed for the 1200-metre slot race on Monday.
Arkansaw Kid has not raced since finishing tenth in the $2 million Group 2 Sydney Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on October 19.
However, a promising third-place finish in an 800-metre jumpout at Flemington last Friday has boosted the confidence of his connections.
“He’s been freshened and trialled on Friday (and) he went really well on Friday,” said Ben Hayes.
The Sydney Stakes marked the first time in five starts this campaign—each over 1200 metres—that the four-year-old finished outside the top two.
His preparation this season has included a Listed win in the Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in August and a victory in the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington in September.
The Meteorite is the first of two new $1 million slot races to be organised by Southside Racing in the coming month, with The Supernova (1400m) at Pakenham set for December 21.
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