Artic Angel led from start to finish to record an impressive victory in the 2016 Merson Cooper Stakes at Ladbrokes Park this afternoon.
Arctic Angel, above, led all the way to win the Merson Cooper Stakes at Sandown. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Artic Angel pinged the gates and quickly found the lead before she kicked away when asked for an extra effort by jockey Chris Symons at the top of the straight.
Symons was delighted with the way that Artic Angel travelled in the Merson Cooper Stakes and he said that he knew he had the race wrapped up a long way from home.
“That experience up the straight and the bend really helped,” Symons said.
“She was brilliant away and a few inside me gave me the opportunity to get there quite comfortably.
“I had a raging smile on my face when they straightened up because she was travelling so well and she kicked off nicely into the straight and powered away.
“She is quite quick and she has done a fantastic job.
“I have had a pretty dismal Carnival and it is good to be back in the winner’s circle.”
Arctic Angel made her racing debut with a fourth place finish in the Group 3 Ottawa Plate (1000m) at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day and co-trainer Matthew Ellerton believes that she took a great deal of benefit from the run.
Ellerton admitted that Artic Angel has surprised him somewhat during her maiden racing campaign and he is hopeful that she could measure up at the highest level in the autumn.
“She probably got tired late at Flemington and took good benefit from it,” Ellerton said.
“I thought she saddled up really well today and she looked beautiful in the yard.
“She did the job accordingly.
“She will go to the paddock now, she has done her job this time in.
“We got further than I ever envisioned – at the start of the prep she was a bit ugly and plain Jane, but she really blossomed all the way through.
“She will go out now, have a good break and she might fit in somewhere in the autumn.
“She has risen to every challenge we have thrown at her and who knows where she can go.
“I didn’t think that leading would suit her today, but she did it well.”
Mikuni stormed home late to finish the Merson Cooper Stakes in second and is clearly looking for a step-up in trip, while Zarpoya ran well on debut to finish third.
