The powerful Hayes stable appears to have a strong hand for Saturday's ten race program at Sandown.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The brothers Ben, Will and JD Hayes accepted with 13 runners at Sandown and JD told ACM Racing their horses will appreciate the big roomy track.
"It's a great racing surface at Sandown," JD said. "We've found over the years horses get their chance to win from all over the place.
"We're going to Sandown quietly confident with some good young progressive horses and we'll have a clearer idea of their paths going forward after they run on Saturday.
"We've accepted with 13 runners but we'll wait until Friday before finalising our runner for Sandown. We have one or two duly accepted and they may run elsewhere."
From their runners the young trainer rates Rheinberg an $8.50 chance with Bet365 in a $130,000 benchmark 84 over 1400 metres as a great each-way hope.
"I really like Rheinberg each-way," JD said. "I think he's a great bet. We've got Daniel Stackhouse on board and he's riding in great form. Rheinberg has drawn a great barrier in three and should be well positioned in the run.
"He's got great form over the 1400 metres having won four of his 10 starts over the distance. I thought he was unlucky last time when he ran sixth at Sandown.
"He's improved off that effort and should run well. We've also got Frumos and Anilla in this race. Frumos is new to our stable. We're still working her out while Anilla may run at Morphettville on Saturday."
The son of champion trainer David Hayes said he's looking forward to Jenni's Meadow resuming in a $150,000 race for two-year-old fillies.
"Jenni's Meadow won at Moonee Valley at her debut," he said. "We then send her up to the Gold Coast for a $3 million two-year-old race.
"I was happy with her performance in that race and I think the experience has really helped her. She's trialled up very well and should jump and run from barrier two."
Donegal resumes in a $150,000 benchmark race over 1400 metre from a wide barrier and that's a concern for JD.
"Barrier 14 is a sticky gate," he said. "Donegal is a nice filly. She's won two of four and looks to have a promising future. We've been happy with her work but due to the wide barrier we're a bit undecided at this stage."
Wolflands put in a lack lustre performance to run seventh at Warrnambool last time but JD expects a better run in a benchmark 1000 metre race.
"We just don't think Wolflands appreciated how the track was racing at Warrnambool," he said. "We've been very happy with his work since that run and I would like to think he'll run better on Saturday.
"We've also got Boonie in the same race. He's down in grade and may run better with his first-up Caulfield effort under his belt."
The stable has gang-tackled a $130,000 benchmark race over 1600 metres with three runners Tijuana, Ima Shelby plus Jabbawockeez and JD believes the last start Warrnambool winner Jabbawockeez should run well.
"I thought the winning run by Jabbawockeez at Warrnambool was full of merit," he said. "Jabbawockeez hit the line strongly at Warrnambool.
"He made up plenty of ground over the concluding stages on a tough track. He's trained on well and his first-up effort to run second at Caulfield was also very good.
"It wasn't a bad run by Tijuana at Warrnambool. We've done a bit of a gear change putting the blinkers on again and taking the winkers off. He's had three runs in from a spell and is ready to put in a forward showing but he's drawn a wide gate. Ima Shelby is ready to improve following two runs from a spell."
Group One racing heads to Doomben this week with the running of the $1 million Doomben Cup as the feature race on the ten event program.
Warwick Farm trainer Annabel Neasham has four starters in the 2000 metre contest while Chris Waller, the Waterhouse- Bott stable and Kris Lees all have multiple starters in the time honoured race.
Kovalica, who is trained by Waller is the $3.60 favourite. The lightly raced four-year-old ran third at his last outing in the Hollindale Stakes at the Sunshine Coast.
Another feature on the Doomben card is the $1 million Magic Millions National 2YO Classic over 1050 metres. The race which carries listed restricted status is limited to 12 runners.