Racing
Melbourne switch works for Duke
Duke Atreides has dodged the wet tracks in Sydney to break his maiden status at Sandown.
The Annabel and Rob Archibald stable made the right call to send Duke Atreides to Melbourne in search of better ground for his maiden win.
Duke Atreides took out the Quayclean Plate (1200m) at Sandown on Wednesday on a soft 5 track, later upgraded to a good 4, and Annabel Archibald said the temptation was now to look at a Stakes race with the colt.
Ridden by Ethan Brown, Duke Atreides ($11) scored a 1-¾ length win over the $2.50 favourite Algorithmic with Fastosa ($3.50) a further three-quarters-of-a-length away third.
Archibald said the Group 3 H D F McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield at the end of the month could come on the radar for Duke Atreides.
"Ethan says he's got quite a bit of quality and will stretch out in trip," Archibald said.
"He's a colt and he's going to have to keep progressing, which I think he will.
"There is plenty of sharpness in the family, so I'll see what Ethan thinks, but he may well stretch over a little further.
"He'll probably progress to a race like the McNeil and then he might be ready to step up in trip and maybe progress to a Guineas, if not we'll keep him at the sprint trips.
"It was good to see him do that today as he has always shown plenty in his work and trials at home.
"It's good to knock off that maiden and it's the right time of year to be winning a maiden and then looking for something nicer."
The Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) will be run during the Caulfield Cup Carnival in October.
Duke Atreides is a half-brother to Best Of Bordeaux who was placed in the 2022 Golden Slipper behind Fireburn on a heavy track while also winning twice on wet ground at Group 2 level.
"He's always been a horse that has shown plenty, but we were trying to dodge the wet tracks up in Sydney," Archibald said.
"We got him down here, but I did say to Ethan that he was a bit green when he hit the front, wobbling about at Newcastle.
"There wasn't much speed today, so I left it up to Ethan. He had his ears pricked all the way and it looked pretty soft on the line in the end."
Duke Atreidis was beaten on debut at Newcastle last month and Brown said the colt appreciated racing on his Melbourne leg.
"He's got a lot of race smarts, and once he found the fence, he switched off beautifully and had a very easy time," Brown said.
"I was impressed with the way he quickened up and he was strong through the line.
"He's got a bit of quality."
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