In-form galloper Evaporate will look to break a 30-year-old run of outs in the Caulfield Guineas for the Lindsay Park stable.
St Covet was the last three-year-old to win the Guineas for Lindsay Park back in 1994 when prepared by David Hayes.
His sons, Ben, Will and J D Hayes are now at the helm of Lindsay Park and have Evaporate in excellent shape ahead of Saturday’s Group 1 race over 1600m at Caulfield.
The Lindsay Park team were narrowly denied in 2020 when Ole Kirk defeated Aysar who was then being prepared by Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes.
Evaporate has strung together four wins on end, highlighted by the Group 2 Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 27, a race last year’s Guineas winner Griff won in the lead-up.
Will Hayes said it was exciting to have an in-form horse heading to a feature Group 1 race on Saturday, especially with one that had taken time for the penny to drop.
“He’s always shown us ability at home, and we knew when the penny did drop that he was going to be quite a bit of a weapon,” Hayes said.
“He’s built a picket fence which is what good horses do. He’s found a niche at The Valley, and he really loves it there, so hopefully that carries over to Caulfield, but it’s going to be another rise in grade for him.”
Evaporate drew barrier 8 on Saturday, one gate inside of the favourite Broadsiding.
Hayes said he would have preferred to not see Broadsiding in Saturday’s line-up, but did point out the only time the pair had met, Evaporate beat his rival home.
That was when Broadsiding was on debut at Ballarat in February with the James Cummings-trained colt since going on to win five races, three at Group 1 level including the Golden Rose (1400m) first-up at Rosehill on September 28.
“He (Evaporate) is a Group 2 winner, so he’ll be going there as one of the fancied runners I would assume,” Hayes said.
“We’re happy with him and I think he’s just getting better as the prep goes on, but he’s got to take on Broadsiding now, and he looks pretty good, so I’m glad that he’s got to come down from Sydney and meet us at our home deck.”
