KEY POINTS:
Arlingtonboulevard has the ability to freshen well and she's going to need that in tomorrow's $100,000 Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes at Ellerslie.
The classy Matamata mare would almost certainly have been better suited had this meeting not been transferred from Pukekohe Park.
Arlingtonboulevard is dropping back in distance from 1600m to 1400m, which has the potential to count against her.
Additionally, she is a backrunner with a large field to get through or go around and Ellerslie is probably not the type of track that ideally suits that type of horse.
Arlingtonboulevard has had four starts at Ellerslie for just one placing.
The balancing factor is that she is a much better racehorse than she was as a younger horse.
Her first-up win this season over this distance at Hastings was stunning. When she dropped back as usual, Michael Walker decided to ride for luck and when it came their way they cut out the 1400m in an electric 1.22.09.
She was no less impressive in flashing home from a long way back for a closing second to King Of Ashford in the Matamata Cup then looked very unlucky when taken back to Hastings last start.
This time she was even slower away. Walker again decided to ride for luck and although that came the pair's way initially with a lovely inside run, the gaps closed halfway down the home straight and the big mare was pushing a couple of them in front over the line at the finish.
Her fifth placing was as good as a win.
A plus factor is the footing. Arlingtonboulevard jars up on very firm surfaces and the nice yielding conditions should be perfect.
Provided there is a solid pace, look for her to be closing fast on the leaders from the 200m.
Calveen is the interesting runner. She looked the country's best in this type of race a year or so back then went to Melbourne to be trained.
She did not produce her best form in her only two starts back behind Seachange on the first two days of the Hastings spring carnival, but you couldn't rule out a return to something like her best, although trainer Lance O'Sullivan is hopeful rather than confident.
"She was disappointing at Hastings. I rode her myself this week and she doesn't feel the same as she did when she was in top form," he said.
The yielding track conditions should be ideal for her.
Rosetti Bay was narrowly beaten on a heavy track at Trentham on Melbourne Cup day and looks better off under these conditions, even if the class is considerably better.
Gaze won her only start when fresh and Roger James is certain to have her primed for this.
