Trainer Phillip Stokes will saddle up Arran Bay in the Golden Mile at Bendigo this Saturday, though he admits the topweight might still need another run to be at peak fitness.

Despite a strong second-up record, Arran Bay faces a significant jump in distance from 1200m to 1600m for the Listed event.

He resumed last month at Moonee Valley where he finished second-last, but Stokes said that performance should be completely disregarded due to the state of the track.

“We were pretty worried with the way the track was playing that day,” Stokes said.

“We said to just look after him, so he went to the rail and went around for a look.

“He may not be as wound up for this after that soft run first-up. It was frustrating, but that was as bad a track as I have seen for a long time.”

Saturday will be Arran Bay’s first appearance at Bendigo. He has nine wins from 35 starts and has earned more than $850,000 in prizemoney.

Stokes reflected on the gelding’s evolution from a short-course runner in Adelaide to a genuine performer at the mile and beyond, including a solid third-place finish over 2000m last November behind Torranzino, who recently claimed the Group 3 Easter Cup.

“He’s good at the mile and he did run third over 2000 metres last time in,” Stokes said.

“If you had seen him in his early days at Morphettville, he was a jump and run horse, but the farm has helped settle him down and he’s now mature in the head with the racing.

“He’s been good for the owners getting up near the $1 million mark after he spent his first half in Adelaide.

“Second-up, out to the mile, he’ll run well, but I still think he’s still got a bit of progression.

“After this he will go to the R A Lee Stakes.”

That event, now renamed the The Cummings Stakes, will take place at Group 3 level over 1600m at Morphettville on May 10.