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Arctic aiming for winter Guineas

Wednesday 1 February 2012
Glenn Davis

Trainer Brian Smith and breeder Frank Tagg hope to strike more gold during the Brisbane winter carnival following Arctic's impressive victory at Eagle Farm.

Arctic looked well above average storming home to break through at his second start with a half length win over Florida Fellow in Wednesday's three-year-old Maiden Handicap (1200m).

Arctic is by Rock Of Gibraltar and is a close relative of the Tagg-owned Circles Of Gold who won the Group One AJC Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick in 1995.

Circles Of Gold was also runner-up to Arctic Scent in the Caulfield Cup the following year and after retiring produced multiple Group One winners Elvstroem and Haradasun.

Smith was Tagg's trainer more than a decade ago and was largely responsible for the purchase of Circles Of Gold as a yearling back in 1993.

Circles of Gold won six races and more than $936,000 in stakes.

Smith has a very good opinion of Arctic who scored decisively but was never comfortable in the wet conditions.

"He's been a slow maturer and he went shin sore a few times but the owners have been very patient with him," Smith said.

"You have to learn to be patient and wait with horses and let them come up.

"He wasn't very comfortable on the wet track but I think he'll make a nice Guineas horse during the winter."

The Group Two Queensland Guineas has been rescheduled as a lead-up race to the Group One Stradbroke Handicap and will be run for the first time over 1400 metres at Eagle Farm on June 2.

Meanwhile, apprentice Tim Bell didn't waste time getting back into the city winners' list scoring aboard Start Again in the Racing Retro Handicap.

The Patinack Farm-owned Start Again was stepping up to 1600 metres for the first time and relished the wet conditions to down Mr Testa by a short neck.

Bell, who turned 19 on Saturday, spent two days in hospital last month with pneumonia and battled a stomach bug last week before making his comeback with a winner at Caloundra last Sunday.

Patinack Farm's Queensland foreman Brett Killion paid Bell a huge compliment after the win.

"We really missed Tim while he was away. His knowledge of horses is invaluable," Killion said.

Bell was relieved to ride a winner in his city comeback.

"It's good to be back in form and I'm really enjoying being back riding again," he said.