Golden Archer Back to Best

Consistent sprinter Golden Archer (4h Rock of Gibraltar x Viennetta, by Pins) was back to his brilliant best at Caulfield on Saturday, leading throughout to win the Listed MRC The Shark.com.au Stakes. Beaten into second place last start on a slow track, the Peter Moody trained son of Rock of Gibraltar appreciated the firmer ground and a drop back to 1100 metres, blazing over the short course to win by more than a length. "He's raced at stakes company all his life. He's a terrifically consistent sprinter,” Peter Moody said. "You would put him in the echelon of probably the top half-dozen sprinters in the country at five, five-and-a-half furlongs, a soft six, it takes a bloody good horse to beat him. "It took Sepoy at his top to beat him on this day last year when he won the McNeil. He's very much underestimated, he's a hell of a good horse.” An $80,000 purchase from the draft of Sefton Park at the 2010 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Golden Archer is the second foal of Group II winning Pins mare Viennetta (NZ) and has won eight of 13 starts and more than $550,000 in prizemoney. Rock of Gibraltar remains in Ireland this year with his final Australian bred crop of foals due to be offered at the yearling sales here next year.