Peters hoping for change of fortune with Arcadia Queen
After shifting a plate in track work yesterday top West Australian mare Arcadia Queen (Pierro) will undergo a veterinary examination this morning to determine whether she’s fit to run in tomorrow’s $5 million All-Star Mile (1600m) at Moonee Valley.
After yesterday’s mishap at Sutton Grange, a private training property near Bendigo in country Victoria, the All-Star Mile favourite was found to be one out of five lame by Racing Victoria vets.
Her owner Bob Peters, who has been breeding and racing horses since the 1970s, knows only too well the highs and lows of the game and is remaining calm about the latest setback his star mare faces.
“So far everything has gone good and been right up until now but we will keep our fingers crossed. You never know with horses do you,” said Peters.
Should she get the tick of approval today to run in Australia’s richest mile race, Peters believes the three-time Group 1 winner will then have to face a whole set of other challenges.
“I think we have to contend with Moonee Valley, the chance of rain and actually getting her there. With all that’s gone wrong with her over the journey I don’t assume anything until she gets there.”
The five-year-old mare already knows her way around the Valley having competed in last year’s Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) where she ran fifth, finishing less than four lengths behind the reopposing Sir Dragonet (Camelot),
Her memories of the tricky course wouldn’t be overly positive after enduring such a torrid run in transit that day.
“She has her moments. Things tend to go wrong and we get knocked over in the big races. She’s not a lucky one that’s for sure,” Peters continued.
“Some people seem to get through and don’t have any problems but we always get a problem at the wrong time with her.”
Misfortune seems to be plaguing Arcadia Queen’s family at the moment. Peters told ANZ Bloodstock News that her valuable and talented yearling sister was badly injured recently and is now receiving treatment at a veterinary hospital.
“She’s my best yearling filly but she keeps finding a way to smash herself up. She cut her hind leg open the other day and there are bones and tendons showing and she’s in hospital again.
“Now she might never race.”
Perhaps there will be a better run of luck for her big sister come tomorrow afternoon at the Valley.
Peters is certainly no stranger to All-Star Mile success having won the race last year with Regal Power (Pierro).
Win, lose or draw in this year’s edition, he believes such novel racing concepts are great for Australian racing.
“I think they create public interest for the industry all year round,” he said.
“They are good initiatives. They bring a lot of interest through younger people getting involved and all sorts of people keeping an interest in the sport.”
The leviathan owner, who has won close to 30 Group 1 races, rates tomorrow’s All-Star Mile field as fiercely competitive.
“It’s not a Group 1 race but it has nine Group 1 winners in it. It’s the equivalent to one without having the tag.”
Beyond trying to get to the post with Arcadia Queen and win himself a second All-Star Mile in Melbourne tomorrow, Peters is looking at riches north of the border for her.
All things going well, her main goal there will be the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) on day two of The Championships at Randwick.