Arentee may target Doomben 10,000 following The Archer

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Chris Meagher will aim for the sky and throw in a nomination for next month’s Group 1 Doomben 10,000 if Arentee can place in The Archer at Rockhampton’s Callaghan Park on Sunday.

Arentee is third favourite at $10 for the third running of the 1300 metre Weight-For-Age feature behind $2.20 favourite Strait Acer from the Edwards Cummings stable in Sydney.

The barrier draw on Wednesday will be crucial for Arentee who will be ridden by former champion Singapore jockey Vlad Duric.

Duric, a Caulfield Cup winner, has hit the ground running since deciding to settle permanently in Brisbane after landing a winning treble, including Arentee, at Doomben on April 13.

Arentee will be having his first start at Callaghan Park but has hit form at the right time following his all the way win over 1350 metres at Doomben last start.

Meagher picked up his slot for The Archer within 24 hours of Arentee claiming his seventh race of his career.

“I made some few calls straight after the race looking for a slot,” Meagher said.

“I got a call back that night from a syndicate who was interested and it was confirmed the following day.

“The syndicate is called, The Bucket List, and they were looking at some others including one from Sydney but they chose Arentee.”

Meagher is unsure if Duric has ridden at Rockhampton before and will rely on his experience with the long 600 metre straight often the death knell for front runners.

But, Meagher is confident Arentee will cope with the long straight and is delighted with the five-year-old’s progress this campaign.

“It’s been a frustrating campaign with barriers and tracks and he’s not one for the heat,” Meagher said.

“He’s struggled during the summer months but in the last six weeks or so he’s really turned the corner.

“The way to ride him is to bounce and go forward and get into a nice rhythm.”

Meagher expects Arentee will be competitive if everything falls into place.

“If we get a suitable track, a good draw and if he can be in the first three entering the straight they’ll know he’s there,” he said.

Meagher is not concerned Arentee has been in work for more than seventh months.

“He’s actually thriving now more than he was two months ago,” he said.

“He’s not a paddock horse and doesn’t like grazing when he goes out to spell.

“If he runs a place in The Archer we might look a nominating him for the Doomben 10,000.

“He was a chance of getting into The Stradbroke last year but he missed qualifying when he was nutted out by Tick Tock Queen in The Gateway.”