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By Ray Hickson

You’d have to hand iron horse status to front running stayer Arabolini as he approaches his 18th start this preparation in Monday’s Sharp Office Cessnock Cup (2100m) but trainer John Cooper has no trouble saying the gelding is holding his form.

A German bred horse who started out with Kris Lees but was sold to Cooper by former owners Orbis unraced in 2019, Arabolini has raced at least once in every month of 2021 so far.

Since he stepped up to 2000m he’s recorded two wins, five seconds and a third and will be out to snap a frustrating run of three second placings when he heads to Newcastle.

If it seems the horse hasn’t seen a paddock in a long time that’s not the case.

Cooper and his wife Pip have a 55 acre property near Peats Ridge and he says it allows him to give horses little breaks while still being in work. Whether that’s they key to Arabolini’s ability to sustain a preparation is unclear but it's hard to argue with his form.

“I think he’s going the best he’s gone,’’ he said.

“We’re really happy with him, he seems to be going strong. He’s a six-year-old but he doesn’t turn six until May next year so I think he still has quite a good future.”

Arabolini runs second at Warwick Farm on October 13

Cooper has only been training racehorses for about three years but was once an amateur jockey, has been a champion in the eventing world and coached riders to three Olympic Games.

It took an accident when training a young show jump horse in 2017 for Cooper, 57, to switch focus and while he only has a small number in his care he’s loving the change.

“I broke my neck a little while ago and I always wanted to train racehorses so I thought it was now or never,’’ Cooper said.

“I’m really enjoying it and it’s something I want to keep doing for a long time.”

Both of Arabolini’s wins this year have come on heavy tracks at 2100m but his past couple of seconds behind nemesis Savvy Valentino have been on both good and heavy tracks – and Cooper is pleased that horse isn’t contesting the Cessnock Cup.

Expect Newcastle Cup winning jockey Jeff Penza to allow the gelding, $3.20 with TAB on Sunday, to find the lead and Cooper said if he does that relatively untroubled he should be hard to beat.

“I don’t like to get too excited but I think he has a really good chance,’’ he said.

“He likes it out front, he doesn’t have the world’s greatest sprint but he can set a high tempo and keep going.

“I’m not sure what the other riders and horses have in store for him, he’s drawn one so I wouldn’t be changing the pattern.”

All the fields, form and replays for Monday's Newcastle meeting