Arrum Boy firming for Fitzpatrick Plate

Arrum Boy is firming as a contender for next month’s $100,000 Fitzpatrick Plate (1200m) after scoring a comfortable victory in only his second venture to race at Percy Spencer Racecourse last Friday.

Placed at his only previous start in Albany, Arrum Boy jumped a raging $1.50 favourite on the tote in the Graham Manley’s Auto Repairs Handicap (1230m) and justified his short quote by cruising to a third career win for trainer Steve Wolfe.

The four-year-old son of Demerit settled fifth in running for jockey Peter Knuckey but ran home in 35.22 seconds over the final 600m to chase down leader Tranquilla Sunrise and win by 1½ lengths on the line.

Arrum Boy, who was placed in the Placid Ark Stakes as a three-year-old, will step back up to metropolitan grade next start and is in line to tackle the rich Albany Racing Club feature on January 6.

“He’s got plenty of ability and has raced against some very good horses, his record shows that,” Wolfe said. “He is ready to go to town again now.

“Hopefully he can win another one there. Coming back for the Fitzpatrick Plate is a real option.”

Wolfe dominated the seven-race Albany card last week with maiden gallopers Amber Highway and Mygirlfrankie breaking through and emerging middle distance runner Wild Fusion also winning.

Knuckey won three straight races, booting home Mygirlfrankie and then Arrum Boy before Wild Fusion produced a fighting performance in the T-Quip Handicap (1600m) to edge out stablemate Chasing Chaos by half a length.

Wolfe said Mygirlfrankie would have one more start before a spell after sprinting home impressively over 1230m to win by 1½ lengths at her fourth career start.

Dick Turpin three-year-old Amber Highway broke his maiden status at his third start, winning the USG Boral Maiden (1500m) comfortably for hoop Peter Hall, the first in Wolfe’s winning day.

The reigning Great Southern premier trainer already has seven winners on the board after three meetings in 2018-19.