Arctic Command won the 1000m Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate for 2yos on Emirates Stakes day at Flemington just one year after his half-brother General Truce had achieved the same feat. The chestnut had drawn the grand stand barrier, and that is where jockey Dale Smith took him. Just after settling, a seagull swooped and slammed in to the gelding, before bouncing off in to the lap of Glen Boss. To his credit, Arctic Command did not flinch, and continued with the job at hand. The field had split and Arctic Command was always on the pace on the grand stand side. Dale Smith drove him to the line to hold off the fast finishing David Hayes trained colt, Aashiq.
Arctic Command is trained by Wendy Kelly. His lead up included an impressive four length win in an 800 metre barrier trial at Cranbourne on October 12 and an unlucky first start fourth in the Inglis banner race on Cox Plate day. Wendy now plans to give Arctic Command a break before aiming him at the Group 1 Blue Diamond next February. Wendy first spotted the chestnut at Lauriston farm. At the Inglis premier sale, her husband Kevin, made it known just how much he liked the colt. “I don’t care about his pedigree – Look at him, not his page!” The yearling was purchased for $55,000.
Arctic Command
Initially, Arctic Command did not make it in to the
Inglis Premier sales catalogue. The mare’s page and stallion selection were not deemed commercial. However, General Truce won the Maribyrnong Plate and the Freeze colt received a late call up. Had he not made it in to the sale he would possibly have joined Lauriston’s racing team, as did General Truce. “He would have looked great in the orange and green” suggested Tanith O’Brien, tongue-in-cheek after his win on Saturday. “But really I am very happy for Wendy Kelly and the connections. They have always spoken so fondly about him – he couldn’t be with better people”.
Many others at the Inglis sale were equally impressed and the big chestnut. He spent more time out of his box than inside it. “He has a terrific temperament and he carries this confident “look at me” air about him that makes him very attractive” said Lauriston’s Thoroughbred Farm manager, Paul Eden. His preparation and presentation is a huge credit to Paul and Kathy Eden and the team at Lauriston.
General Resolve’s family can be traced to Marscay stallions Jetball and Marwina, and was largely the motivation behind the decision to partner her with Freeze. Freeze is by Marscay and from Snowdrift. His siblings include Group 1 winner Snowland, Group 2 winner and Golden Slipper placegetter Portillio, Snippetson and others.
General Truce
Interestingly, even though Freeze and General Resolve are bays, Arctic Command, like Jetball, is a chestnut.
Prior to Saturday General Resolve had produced three foals – all winners with six figure earnings.
Her first foal, Complete Control (by Rubiton) was a first start winner at Seymour, before beating Golden Slipper placegetter Portillio in a trial. She has been placed against subsequent Group 1 winners Estee and Sousa and was runner up in the Adelaide 2yo Magic Millions to Augusta Proud.
General Resolve’s second foal, General Truce, has also been competitive at the elite level. Along with winning the Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate, he was runner up in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude and was a fast finishing third behind Black Caviar in the Group 2 WFA Schillaci stakes in October.
On Sunday at 6:45AM, less than 24 hours after Arctic Command’s win in the Maribyrnong Plate, General Resolve had her fourth foal – A filly by Testa Rossa. The filly has been nick named Kelly.
Photographs by Bruno Cannatelli
