Arkansaw Kid opens as Blue Sapphire Stakes favourite

Arkansaw Kid
Arkansaw Kid looms as the one to beat in the 2023 Blue Sapphire Stakes. (Photo: George Sal/Racing Photos)

Saturday’s Group 3 Blue Sapphire Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield has attracted a strong contingent of 11 three-year-olds, with the Ben, Will & JD Hayes-trained Arkansaw Kid pegged as a firm +150 favourite with online bookmakers.

It comes after a terrific performance in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on Derby Day, where the son of Harry Angel powered into a fourth-place finish behind Ozzmosis.

Prior to that effort he was a Listed winner at Caulfield in the Gothic Stakes (1200m), where Damien Oliver — who takes the ride this weekend — steered him to secure victory.

The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Brave Mead may have found the 1600m too testing in the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes, but now the son of Brave Smash gets back to a track and trip where he found success two starts back.

He finds himself on the second line of betting at +320, as top betting sites seemingly have this race pegged as a top-heavy affair.

The pair of Snapback and The Instructor at +600 apiece are the only other gallopers in single figures, with the only runner with any support at a big price being Sunset Dreaming, who has shortened from +1400 into +1200.

The 2023 Blue Sapphire Stakes is the sixth race on the Caulfield card and is set to be run and won at 3:10pm local time.


Blue Sapphire Stakes 2023 field

No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
1 Silks
Arkansaw Kid
Ben, Will & JD Hayes
Damien Oliver
6
57kg
2 Silks
Brave Mead
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Mark Zahra
8
57kg
3 Silks
Snapback
Peter & Paul Snowden
James McDonald
7
57kg
4 Silks
The Instructor
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Jordan Childs
5
57kg
5 Silks
Eugenius
Shane Nichols
Zac Spain
4
57kg
6 Silks
Run Harry Run
Mike Moroney
Daniel Stackhouse
3
57kg
7 Silks
Don’t Hope Do
Simon Zahra
Blaike McDougall
10
57kg
8 Silks
Mont Saint Michel
Shane Nichols
Jye McNeil
11
57kg
9 Silks
Treasurway
Jason Warren
Craig Williams
1
55kg
10 Silks
Sunset Dreaming
Tony & Calvin McEvoy
Harry Coffey
9
55kg
11 Silks
Riverina Power
Tom Dabernig
Michael Dee
2
55kg

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