Arrogant gives The Autumn Sun a scare in Rosehill Guineas

[Chief Stipe]

Arrogant (Craig Williams, inside) fights for all he is worth in a desperate Rosehill Guineas battle with The Autumn Sun.

New Zealand three-year-old Arrogant ran the race of his life in today’s Gr. 1 Rosehill Guineas, throwing down an almighty challenge to Australia’s most valuable three-year-old.

Multiple Group One winner The Autumn Sun was sent out as a $1.35 favourite for today’s 2000-metre feature. His dominance only grew when the expected main challenger, multiple Group One-winning Kiwi galloper Madison County, was scratched after suffering abrasions during his float journey to the racecourse.

But when the boom colt swooped into contention at the top of the straight, Arrogant went with him.

The pair fought a titanic tussle through the last 200 metres, with the A$3 million earner The Autumn Sun being matched at every stride by the $68,500 earner Arrogant. In a nail-biting finish, The Autumn Sun claimed victory by a head.

Arrogant has won only once in his nine-start career, that being a December maiden at his home track of Matamata. But he has also finished second in the Gr. 2 Waikato Guineas, fourth in the Gr. 1 New Zealand Derby and a luckless sixth in the Gr. 1 Levin Classic.

Mike Moroney, who trains on both sides of the Tasman with Pam Gerard running the Matamata branch, was proud of the Ocean Park colt’s performance.

“That’s not a bad Australian debut – it’s a big effort to run a horse like The Autumn Sun to a head,” he told www.theinformant.co.nz.

“He was often a bit unlucky in New Zealand, especially in the Levin Classic. All of the jockeys who have ridden him have said he’ll be better next year, he’s still not the finished product.

“The signs are good heading into the Australian Derby in a couple of weeks’ time. Chapada also ran a really big race today for third, so we could be going into that with a couple of the leading chances.”

But it was The Autumn Sun who came out on top, adding the Rosehill Guineas to his previous Group One victories in the JJ Atkins, Golden Rose, Caulfield Guineas and Randwick Guineas.

The Redoute’s Choice has been beaten only once in his nine-start career, running an unlucky second in the Gr. 2 Stan Fox Stakes in the spring.

Trainer Chris Waller was relieved to see him master today’s Heavy8 track.

“John Messara (principal of majority owner Arrowfield) is a good sportsman and that’s why the horse was here racing,” he said.

“There was concern earlier in the week whether he should be running on a heavy track, because he’s still young and not a horse that’s fully matured. It’s through his sportsmanship that we brought him here and he’s a very good horse.

“That was a good test, the last 200 metres. He just didn’t lie down. He’s a really tough horse. We were really testing him today over 2000 metres, and only a champion comes out like he’s done and he’s done it.”

Waller wouldn’t be drawn on what happens next for the valuable colt.

“It’ll be up to the owners to decide whether he goes to stud,” he said. “I get the importance of the horse’s value. I get the people at home, the people coming to the races and the media, how they want these great horses racing. We’ve got to give the owners some support whatever decision they make, but it would be great to see him back.”

From a Kiwi point of view, there was also plenty of merit in the strong-finishing fourth by multiple Group Two winner Surely Sacred.

“Very happy with him,” jockey Damian Lane said. “He just peaked on his run late in the heavy ground, but he’ll be better for that.”

New Zealand Derby winner Crown Prosecutor jumped from the outside gate and worked hard early in the race to lead and cross the field. He faded in the straight to finish ninth.

“He probably needs to be ridden with cover to relax better,” jockey James McDonald said.

His Stephen Marsh-trained stablemate Vernanme was particularly disappointing, dropping out to finish 11th.

“He got a soft, cosy run, but he was the first one beaten,” jockey Opie Bosson said.

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