Arcano (horse)

On his racecourse debut Arcano started the 7/2 second favourite for a maiden race over six furlongs on good to firm ground at Newbury Racecourse on 11 June. Ridden by Martin Dwyer, he took the lead a furlong out and held off the challenge of the John Gosden-trained Showcasing (later to win the Gimcrack Stakes) to win by a head.[5] On 9 July the colt was stepped up in class for the Group 2 July Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse in which he was again partnered by Dwyer and was made the 7/4 favourite against ten opponents. After tracking the front-running Orpen Grey, he took the lead inside the final furlong and won by three quarters of a length with a gap of three lengths back to Red Jazz in third.[6] Shortly after the race the colt was acquired privately by Hamdan Al Maktoum.

The Prix Morny over 1200 metres at Deauville Racecourse on 23 August attracted a field of five runners and saw Arcano, ridden by Richard Hills, start the second choice in the betting behind his fellow English challenger Canford Cliffs (winner of the Coventry Stakes). The other three runners were Special Duty (Prix Robert Papin), Zanzibari (Prix de Cabourg) and Dolled Up (Prix du Bois). After being restrained at the rear of the field as Special Duty set the pace, the colt began to make rapid progress in the last 300 metres and took the lead in final strides. In a "blanket finish" Arcano won by a short neck and a neck from Special Duty and Canford Cliffs with Dolled Up and Zanzibari also finishing within a length of the winner.[7] Brian Meehan commented "Our horse is still a baby and there's masses of improvement to come. All options are open, but he does want to go further".[8] The winning time of 1:07.90 was a new course record.[9]

In the official rating of 2009's European two-year-olds Arcano was given a rating of 118, making him the fourth-best juvenile of the season behind St Nicholas Abbey, Passion for Gold and Jan Vermeer, and level with Canford Cliffs, Siyouni and Vale of York.[10]

Almost eight months after his last start, Arcano began his second campaign in the Greenham Stakes (a major trial race for the 2000 Guineas) over seven furlongs at Newbury in April. He started at odds of 2/1 in a five-runner field but sustained his first defeat as he came home third behind Dick Turpin and Canford Cliffs. On his only subsequent race Arcano was dropped in class and distance for a minor event over six furlongs at Doncaster Racecourse on 31 July. He started the 10/11 favourite but finished last of the five runners behind Vitoria.[11]