Plenty of positives for Dods to take despite Arapaho reverse

Arapaho Gold could still sign off for the season on British Champions Day at Ascot following his narrow defeat in Saturday’s Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes.

Having stretched his unbeaten record to four in the Gimcrack at York last month, the son of Bayside Boy was a hot favourite to claim a second Group Two win at Newbury, but was beaten half a length into third place behind Nabati and Jolivette.

While disappointed to see his stable star suffer defeat for the first time, Darlington-based Dods was pleased with his performance.

He said: “He’s come out of it fine. He was a bit keen early on, but I don’t think they went a great gallop and Connor (Beasley) felt the ground was the firmest he’s been on and it was probably just a bit firm for him.

“But whichever way you look at it, he gave 3lb to the winner and 6lb to the second, so I thought it was as good as his last performances. Those were the two horses we were concerned about and we were very pleased with the run.”

With Arapaho Gold ineligible for the end-of-season Group Ones due to the fact he has been gelded, Dods had been eyeing the Qatar Racing British Champions Day Two-Year-Old Conditions Stakes at Ascot on October 17 as his final destination for the year and he looks set to stick to the plan.

“I think we’ll have a look at it and see what the ground is and then make a decision,” Dods added.

“I think without a doubt he’ll stay seven furlongs next year – I’ve always thought that. He’ll be able to run over six or seven furlongs.”