Arch set for Lofty heights in Danehill Stakes

Rising trainer Alex Rae and the connections of Lofty Arch will not die wondering.

Lofty Arch heads straight to Stakes company at Flemington on Saturday to contest the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1100m) having won a Cranbourne maiden over 1200m on debut.

Rae reasoned the son of Snitzel was worth testing in tougher company as the colt had shown ability in his trials and trackwork before his debut, so much so that Rae had considered a Stakes race for the colt’s first start.

“We took the softer option by going to Cranbourne, but in saying that, it was an Inglis bonus maiden, so it was a pretty good race,” Rae said.

“In fairness to the situation, he’s a three-year-old colt and its springtime, so you don’t really have that many options without putting him on ice and waiting until the off-season and it’s probably not appropriate with a Snitzel colt like him.”

Rae had contemplated waiting for the Listed Gothic Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on October 19, but after realising exciting colt Growing Empire headed to last week’s Manikato Stakes and was going to miss the Danehill, it forced a rethink.

“It’s definitely a big rise in class, but look, we think he’s a nice horse and the other option was going to be the Gothic Stakes,” Rae said.

“When Growing Empire came out, it was potentially a little bit softer than it has been in previous years and subsequent to that, there’s only 10 acceptors

“It is a throw in the deep end, but at least we’ll see where he measures up.”

How far Lofty Arch stretches into the spring, Rae is unsure.

It all depends on the colt’s performance on Saturday, but the Cranbourne-based trainer has not ruled out a start in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on November 2.

“If he can compete on Saturday, you’re forced to probably head down the path of the Coolmore,” Rae said.

“If he’s respectable, you can push onto a race maybe like the Blue Sapphire (1400m) over a bit further and obviously if it all comes a little bit too soon for him, you can put him on ice and wait for the autumn

“So, options after Saturday are a plenty.”

Rae had hopes Lofty Arch would be a spring companion for Shock ‘Em Ova who was to head on a Cups campaign but injured a tendon when campaigning in Queensland during winter.

“It’s good to have a nice horse at this time of year but obviously it’s disappointing not to have the big fella show up at the moment,” Rae said.