Hellsing, trained by Annabel and Rob Archibald, has struck a rich vein for form and scored a career-best win in the Listed $200,000 Arrowfield Scone Cup (1600m) at Scone on Friday.
Despite having his 10th start in a preparation stretching more than six months, Hellsing is going better than ever and backed up from a win at Royal Randwick to take out the Scone feature in a thrilling finish where only two lengths separated the top six placegetters.
In a race with a number of hard luck stories, jockey Tom Sherry made an ultimately decisive move early when he positioned Hellsing on the outside of the leader early and out of trouble, with the former Irish galloper doing the rest and demonstrating a stubborn refusal to surrender his lead in the straight.
For the Archibalds, this was a “local” triumph to savour as they have 80 horses in work at Scone to complement a similar number at their Warwick Farm stable base.
“This is a massive thrill,” Annabel Archibald said.
“It was a long time ‘watching’ in the straight, I was willing the post (to come).”But Hellsing is a such a tough, honest horse and he has a great racing pattern where he gets up on the speed.
“He has been in work a long time but he is so very consistent.”
Hellsing ($5.50), who began his race career in Ireland, held off the fast-finishing Churchill’s Choice ($10) to win narrowly with another Archibald stable runner, Formal Display ($4.60 favourite) a half length away third.
Sherry could only admire Hellsing’s fierce desire to hold off his chasing rivals at Scone just like he had done at Randwick at his previous start.
“It was a bit of a step up in grade for him today but to his credit he showed a great will to win, he was so determined to hold off the challenger, Churchill’s Choice,” Sherry said.
Hellsing’s win ensures he is eligible for the $3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day, the first Tuesday in November.
“He deserves a little break now and then we will work back from the Big Dance – that will be his target,” Archibald said.
Churchill’s Choice came off her Hawkesbury Gold Cup win and ran another blinder, bursting through the ruck late to just miss completing the Cups double.
Formal Display could not get across form his outside barrier (15) and was trapped three and four wide without cover throughout and his effort to hold on for third was outstanding.
“I thought Formal Display he was huge,” Archibald said.
“He was four-wide with no cover the trip but he has still run home for third so he has definitely ticked the mile box.
“Depth Of Character (12th) never came off the bridle, he never got a crack at them in the straight.”
It was a similar lament for supporters of Tavi Time. Last year’s Scone Cup winner had topweight of 59kg but it wasn’t the handicap that stopped him from going back-to-back – it was bad luck in running.
Tavi Time under Chad Schofield was held up for a run from the top of the straight and went to the line without being tested to finish sixth.
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