Group 1 Aim For Sioux Nation’s Latest Stakes Winner

Archo Nacho (3g Sioux Nation - Jackpot Queen, by Not A Single Queen) earned his placed in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes after beating a talented field in Saturday’s Listed Poseidon Stakes at Flemington.

Matt Laurie’s charge won his maiden in June and followed up with an unlucky second at Flemington next time out. Saturday marked a significant step up in class for Archo Nacho, who took on previous Stakes winners and two Group 1 performers in the five and a half furlong sprint. Leading from the two furlong marker, he was ridden out by Ben Melham to score by half a length from previous Stakes winner and Group 3 performer I Am Unstoppable. Group 1 Golden Slipper third King’s Gambit finished another two and a quarter lengths back in third.

“He showed a lot right from the beginning,” the winning trainer said, before revealing he had decided against selling Archo Nacho to Hong Kong. “We just thought there was more in store for this horse, and clearly there is.”

Ben Melham shares Laurie’s belief that there is more to come from the son of Sioux Nation, saying, “He’s just doing it on raw ability; he’s got a good will to win and a good engine, but he’s not the finished product.”

Archo Nacho was subsequently cut to 10/1 for the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes worth $1.2million, with the Group 2 Danehill Stakes a possible target in the interim.

Bred by P Johnson, Archo Nacho is owned by Laurie with Miss KA Brideoake and Carringbush Park Syndicate. He hails from the sole Southern Hemisphere crop of Sioux Nation, whose first Northern Hemisphere crop has produced eight Group/Stakes winners to date.