Arod, a five-year-old son of Teofilo, will take a swing at notching his first Grade 1 win in Sunday’s $1 million Woodbine Mile.
Owned by Qatar Racing Limited and trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam, the Irish-bred heads into the Mile off a solid third-place outing in the Group 2 Doom Bar Celebration Mile at Goodwood on August 27.
“My horses had been very sick and he was the same, so really it was like his first run of the year,” said Chapple-Hyam. “He has been bouncing since the race, so I’m very happy with him.”
Arod has fared well at the mile distance, having won once, along with a second and three thirds from seven tries.
Last season, he recorded two wins, two seconds and a third from seven races, accompanied by $569,151 in purse earnings.
The lifetime earner of $817,490 has raced in Great Britain, Australia and France. Sunday’s race will mark the first time he has tested North American turf.
“He loves going round bends,” noted Chapple-Hyam. “I spent a lot of time teaching him as he ran in our Derby and you need to track well round Epsom. He does like fast ground, so fingers crossed it will be. He is very tough and honest.”
Chapple-Hyam, a staunch supporter of West Bromwich Albion, will be hoping his Mile starter fares better than the English football club did on Saturday, losing 1-0 to Bournemouth.
“He hasn’t been or ever will be beaten as much as the Albion, so he is in front already, but both are trying to bounce back,” he said with a laugh.
‘GARDENS’ AND GARY IN FULL BLOOM HEADING INTO WOODBINE MILE
Glenville Gardens, trained by Sid Attard and owned by his wife, Janice, holds a hot hoof heading into the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile, thanks in part to the great chemistry he’s developed with veteran jockey Gary Boulanger.
A winner of three consecutive races for the second time in his career, Glenville Gardens, a four-year-old son of Street Cry, is at the top of his game as he looks to notch the biggest triumph of his career to date.
The dark bay will once again have the services of Woodbine-based rider Boulanger, who has been aboard the past four starts.
“Gary, he just loves this horse,” said Hall of Fame conditioner Attard, who won the 2001 Mile with Numerous Times. “That’s what he tells me – ‘Sid, I love to ride this horse.’ He does a great job of letting the horse be where he wants to be when the gate opens. When the time comes for Gary to ask the horse to run, he runs.”
On a recent trip to Attard’s barn, Boulanger was asked for his thoughts on giving the Mile a go.
“So, when Gary came over to see him, which he always does, I asked him, ‘What should we do? Should we run in the Mile?’” recalled Attard. “He said, ‘I don’t want to interfere.’ We are going to take a shot. Why not? He’s been running well and he’s in great shape.”
Glenville Gardens is yet another astute claim by Attard, who paid $40,000 for the gelding last September. Since then, he’s won five of seven starts, including the Labeeb, last October, and Grade 2 Play The King Stakes, on August 20.
“He’s such a nice horse,” praised Attard. “We know this a very, very tough race. (Trainer) Mark Casse’s horse (Tepin), she’s a beautiful mare. But, he’s doing really well and who knows what can happen. Of course, you feel very proud when you are in a race like this.”
A lifetime winner of seven races from 13 starts, Glenville Gardens has banked $437,670 since his career bow on September 7, 2014.
EARLY LOOK AT THE GRADE 1 RICOH WOODBINE MILE (8)
Horse/Owner/Trainer/Jockey
Arod / Qatar Racing Limited / Peter Chapple-Hyam / Oisin Murphy
Full Mast / Juddmonte Farms / William Mott / Joel Rosario
Glenville Gardens / Janice Attard / Sid Attard / Gary Boulanger
Mr. Owen / Qatar Racing Limited / Francois Rohaut / Jamie Spencer
Mutakayyef / Shadwell Stable / William J. Haggas / Dane O’Neill
Passion for Action / Benjamin Hutzel / Mike DePaulo / Luis Contreras
Tepin / Robert E. Masterson / Mark Casse / Julien Leparoux
Tower of Texas / Thomas F. Van Meter II and Scott Dilworth / Roger Attfield / Eurico Rosa da Silva
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