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By Ray Hickson

A slashing first-up performance has co-trainer Annabel Archibald warming to talented four-year-old Bosustow’s chances of collecting Saturday’s $1.5 million Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on the way to his spring target.

Trainer Annabel Archibald (Pic: Bradley Photos).

That goal is the $10 million Golden Eagle and Archibald says she suspected the Group 1 placed galloper would be in need of his first-up run so was tickled that he produced a close second in the Bill Ritchie.

It was a race won from the front by With Your Blessing and despite being underdone Bosustow landed just off the speed and surged late to run the margin to under half a length.

“I’m really happy with him, particularly as he was probably only sort of 80 per cent going into that run in terms of fitness,’’ she said.

“I thought he was a little bit stuffy in his Wyong trial. He was in the market and maybe the market had more trust than me but it’s always nice when they run above where you think they are.

“I thought he’d need the run and I think he did, and you’ll see really nice improvement.”

Josh Parr has ridden Bosustow, a half-brother to Amelia’s Jewel, in eight of his 17 starts and his past two wins. With just 51.5kg in the Stradbroke, where he ran an eye-catching fifth, Parr was unable to take the ride.

Archibald said she and co-trainer Rob were tempted to wait until the Silver Eagle for the four-year-old’s second-up run but the progression to the Golden Eagle works well.

“A lot of the key to this horse is Josh Parr, he seems to get on really well with him,’’ she said.

“It’s three weeks from the Bill Ritchie to this and three weeks from this to the Eagle. It’s nice spacing with him.

“He’s been a great horse for us, it’d be great to jag a Group 1 with him at some stage. He’s been placed in a few and he’s won the owners a lot of prizemoney.”

Bosustow was a $9.50 chance with TAB on Thursday and he’s $26 in the Golden Eagle which is run at Randwick on November 1.

The Archibald stable is looking for an improved showing from Fawkner Park second-up in the Group 2 $2 million Toyota Forklifts Hill Stakes (1900m) while expecting Bois D’Argent to be better for the first-up run.

Fawkner Park sat outside the lead when he resumed in the Shannon Stakes over 1500m and knocked up to finish last, it’s likely a change of tactics will be applied this time around.

“I didn’t expect him to sit outside the leader last time,’’ she said.

“It wasn’t really the plan, I preferred him to be further back and hitting the line. I suppose the good thing to take out from it was he was good out of the gates and wanted to be there.

“He still is a bit big, he’ll tighten up again but back to weight-for-age will suit.”

The grey Bois D’Argent boasts a smart first-up record and a favourable draw, and interestingly he opened his last campaign with a third behind Pride Of Jenni over 1800m.

Still, Archibald says he will benefit from the hit out.

Bosustow runs second at Randwick on September 20

“He will need the run but he can run a cheeky race fresh and he has a low draw,’’ Archibald said.

“We’re coming up against a rock hard Lindermann who was fantastic the other day and will be hard to beat but it’s a good starting point.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s meeting at Rosehill