Rising star Arcadia Queen is set to take on the weight for age horses in the Kingston Town Classic after a brilliant win in the 2018 Group 2 $500,000 Sky Racing W.A. Guineas (1600m) at Ascot in Perth last Saturday.
Trap For Fools, above, is well fancied in the betting for the 2018 Kingston Town Classic at Ascot in Perth. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Arcadia Queen was backing up week to week after beating the fillies in the Group 3 $200,000 W.A. Champion Fillies Stakes (1600m) at Ascot seven days early to beat the colts and geldings in the W.A. Guineas and became the first filly to complete the double since Queen Of The May in 1959.
“It’s exciting to win this race and make history,” owner Bob Peters said.
Peters is considering running Aracdia Queen in the Group 1 $1m Magic Millions Kingston Town Classic (1800m) at Ascot on December 8 and give the Pierro filly the chance to repeat the deeds of Perfect Reflection who carried the Peters cerise and white colours to victory when she completed the Champion Fillies Stakes – Kingston Town Classic double in 2015.
“If she is right she will go for it,” Peters said.
“I’ve done it before a couple of years ago. We wouldn’t be frightened.”
Perth leading rider William Pike gave Aracdia Queen ($1.90 favourite) the run of the race from an inside barrier and the Grant and Alana Williams trained filly was untroubled to score a three lengths victory in the Champion Fillies Stakes over Lady Cosmology ($6.50) with Flirtini ($18) back in third positions.
“She was a bit cantankerous before the race, but as soon as we jumped I was pretty happy,” Pike said.
“She jumped clean and I took the opportunity to be as close as I could.
“The way she travelled in running was exceptional.”
Under the weight for age scale, Arcadia Queen will only have to carry 50kg in the Kingston Town Classic and Pike will have to decide if he is going to try to get down to the light weight or stick with the stablemate and Railway Stakes winner Galaxy Star who has 57kg in the 1800m Group 1 on Saturday week.
“So far they’re both all right,” Peters said.
“William will have to decide soon.”
The stablemates sit at the top of the Kingston Town Classic market order at Ladbrokes.com.au with Galaxy Star marked at $4.40 just ahead of Arcadia Queen at $4.60.
Early betting for the 2018 Kingston Town Classic at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.40 Galaxy Star, $4.60 Arcadia Queen, $5.50 Trap For Fools, $7 Material Man, $11 Peaceful State, $13 Gatting, $16 Action, Holy Snow, Man Booker, $17 Scales Of Justice, $18 Lady Cosmology, Prized Icon, $21 Achernar Star, Aloisia, Great Shot, Iconoclasm, Perfect Jewel, $26 or better the rest.
