The distinction of becoming a Group One winner is not the only prize import Spillway will be after in the Makybe Diva Stakes.
The winner of Saturday’s weight-for-age feature at Flemington also earns a ballot exemption into the $3 million Caulfield Cup, a race trainer David Hayes is targeting with Spillway.
Spillway sprinted well fresh to be beaten in a photo finish in the Group Two PB Lawrence Stakes first-up and Hayes is convinced the five-year-old is capable of going one better this time.
“I think he’ll run terrific,” Hayes said.
“We’re hoping he wins and gets 100 per cent qualified for the (Caulfield) Cup. That would be great.”
Spillway was given 52kg when Caulfield Cup weights were released last week.
He was narrowly denied by Star Rolling first-up over 1400m and Damien Oliver retains the ride for Saturday’s 1600-metre race.
Foreteller and Puissance De Lune, who finished first and second in the race last year, are among 15 nominations with a decision on whether Foreteller backs up after his third in last Saturday’s Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes yet to be made.
The 2012 Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon and last year’s Caulfield Cup-winning stablemate Fawkner are set to make their first spring appearances while the Chris Waller-trained Boban will be after his fourth Group One win over 1600m.
Spillway headlines a strong representation for the Hayes and Tom Dabernig stable at Saturday’s meeting which also includes quality mare Gregers who is aiming for her third straight victory this campaign in the Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m).
Hayes will use the Group Two race for mares to guage whether to progress to a Group One 1400-metre handicap with Gregers.
“If she can beat this good field of mares, or go close, she’ll go and take on the boys in the Rupert Clarke Stakes next,” Hayes said.
“If she doesn’t I’ll probably bring her back as a sprinter later in the year.”
The Rupert Clarke Stakes is at Caulfield on September 28.
