Arnold happy to stick with in-form Griante

Thursday 9 April 2015, 4:18pm

The chance to stick with an in-form horse is enough for Steven Arnold to commit to riding Griante at the bottom end of his weight range.

The last-start Group One placegetter is Arnold's only ride on Saturday's card and her 55.5kg in the Group Two Sapphire Stakes is outside his usual comfort zone.

"That's about as light as I get but it's good races and carnival time so I'm happy to ride that for a genuine chance," Arnold said.

"But that's as light as I can ride.

"I've been suspended for the week but I've had a really good week in preparation and I'm right on track. I'm doing it well, so there'll be no problems with that."

Arnold successfully rode at 56kg last Saturday, winning the Group Three Victoria Handicap on West Australian gelding Watermans Bay.

The Cox Plate-winning jockey partnered the David Brideoake-trained Griante to third in the Group One William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley last month.

Earlier in March, Griante won the Wenona Girl Quality at Randwick with Hugh Bowman aboard and is an $8.50 chance in Saturday's Group Two race for fillies and mares.

"She seems to have come back really good and you like to stick with them when they are going well," Arnold said.

"She ran super in the William Reid. She was off the track most of the way from a wide gate and I thought she did a great job to stick on and run third.

"She won in Sydney two starts ago so she handles that way of going and she likes give in the ground."

Arnold is also thinking ahead, hoping Griante can present another Group One opportunity in next month's Robert Sangster Stakes at Morphettville.

"I think she might go to the mares' race in Adelaide so I'm happy to try to stick on her and build a bit of an association with her," he said.

– AAP

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