3 minute read
Rockhampton's attention will focus on Saturday’s Royal Randwick races where Maotai, Aquis Farm’s confirmed slot holder for the $775,000 The Archer will have his final lead up for the April 30 extravaganza.
Slots are being announced thick and fast for 1300-metre contest, on what will historically be Rockhampton's richest race day programmed at Callaghan Park on that Sunday.
Already, Maotai - which Aquis Farm purchased for $425,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale - is a four-time winner from 15 starts, returning $374,700 in prize money.
On Saturday's $2 million Randwick program, Maotai will contest a $150,000 BM88 where he has been allotted 60.5kg.
He comes into the Randwick race after winning a Rosehill 1350m BM88 on March 11 followed by a game second there to Tamerlane over 1400m on March 25.
"Unfortunately Ryan will be riding David Vandyke's horse Weona Smartone in The Archer. We have a few jockeys in the pipeline but still waiting on confirmation," Kacy Fogden said late on Tuesday.
Maotai's racing style, whereby consistently in his races he either leads or positions "on the speed" will be advantageous to his prospects in The Archer.
It's a point that Kacy Fogden, who also is a member of the syndicate which races the sprinter, concurs with.
Elsewhere, two other confirmed The Archer runners in Soxagon and Emerald Kingdom are among the entries for Saturday's $160,000 Listed Ascot Handicap at Eagle Farm in Brisbane.
In a quality field, the Mark Currie-trained Soxagon has 59.5kg while Desleigh Forster's Emerald Kingdom - last year's inaugural The Archer winner - will carry 59kg.
