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By Ray Hickson

It wasn’t Plan A for My Oberon to take on the Group 3 $250,000 Richmond Club Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) second-up but Annabel Archibald is warming to his chances.

Trainer Annabel Archibald (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The initial plan was to wait a week for the Hollindale Stakes over 1800m but with the promise of soft to heavy conditions she said on Sky Sports Radio the race holds plenty of appeal.

And because of that it’s looking a big chance for the gelding to post his first win since October 2022.

“This race wasn’t necessarily on my radar, he’s quite a highly rated horse, but we saw the rain coming,’’ she said.

“I think with the rain we’ve seen it looks a nice race for him and maybe a better stepping stone to the mile rather than the 1800m.”

Archibald, who co-trains with new husband Rob, said the eight-year-old did enough in his first-up run in the All Aged Stakes (1400m) two weeks ago but going back to last from the outside gate wasn’t ideal.

She said My Oberon only has to replicate one of his top performances at the 1600m, even from as recently as last spring, to be more than competitive even with the 60kg.

“He nearly won the Doncaster on (a heavy track) two years back and his only win in Australia was the Crystal Mile which was on a heavy track,’’ she said.

“Conditions should suit, he has got top weight but he has good form around horses like Fangirl, Ceolwulf, Royal Patronage.

“If he can bring as good a run as it was second-up last prep then he’d be hard to beat.”

That second-up run was a second to Fangirl in the 7 Stakes (1600m) run on a good track.

The Archibalds also have Mighty Ulysses engaged in the Hawkesbury Cup and he’s a horse who appreciates some forgiveness in the tracks.

He drops 2.5kg for his first-up fifth behind Sandpaper at Randwick on April 19 with his last win coming on a soft 6 back in October last year.

The broodmare sale yards beckon stablemates Written In Code and Group 1 winner Lady Laguna later this month and Archibald is hoping they can add some extra black type via the Group 3 $250,000 Pioneer Services Hawkesbury Crown (1300m).

Lady Laguna appeared to be getting back to her best with a second-up third in the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes (1200m) three weeks ago.

“We thought it maps quite well for her, we know she doesn’t mind soft ground,’’ she said.

“I think she should be hard to beat, she’s got very good form on the board and this is a step back in class.”

Written In Code is stakes performed but she’ll attack the Crown in career best form with three wins on end including an easy last start victory at Hawkesbury albeit in benchmark 78 grade.

“It’s a strong race and she’s probably not that well suited to the conditions but she is on the way up,’’ Archibald said.

My Oberon's second to Fangirl in September

“She’s going for her fourth win in a row, she was brilliant last start. She has a very good turn of foot, Braith (Nock) seems to get on well with her and she has a good barrier. So I think she is a nice each-way chance.”

Annabel Archibald on Alabama Fox (race 6): “She was just coming into it and there was never a run. Jason got off and said he felt he could have potentially won the race if he had clear running, it’s probably too inconclusive to know. She certainly never got to full flight so it was a bit of a frustrating watch. So maybe the draw isn’t as bad because we shouldn’t get into the same
scenario.”

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