David Hayes believes Seaburge is showing encouraging signs as he prepares the dual Group One placegetter for a return to racing after a disappointing spring.
Four-year-old Seaburge has not won since his autumn two-year-old campaign when he took out the Group Two VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Flemington, his second win in his first three starts.
As a spring three-year-old Seaburge went close to snaring a Group One, finishing second in both the Caulfield Guineas and Emirates Stakes.
The entire’s most recent campaign was below par, with a fifth in the Toorak Handicap his best performance from four starts.
He resumes in Saturday’s Listed John Dillon Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield under top weight of 60kg, with a view to progressing to the Group One CF Orr Stakes and Futurity Stakes if he performs well.
“He’s a Group One performer that lost his way in the spring but I’m pretty confident he’s going to have a good autumn,” co-trainer Hayes said.
“He looks great and he’s working well.
“We’re giving him a race under handicap conditions before he goes to weight-for-age.
“I’m hoping he can bounce back to his Caulfield Guineas form.
“His trackwork is pretty encouraging and I reckon he’ll run well.”
Hayes said he would probably lean to Seaburge as the best of the stable’s two runners in the race, with six-year-old gelding Petrology also resuming.
“Petrology’s a horse who needs luck,” Hayes said.
“From barrier one he’ll be held up and he’ll have to weave through the pack. But he always pops up and runs a good race in good races.”
Dollar For Dollar is the $3.70 favourite after finishing third in the recent Chester Manifold Stakes (1400m) at Flemington in his return from a let-up.
Dollar For Dollar loomed to win the Chester Manifold before peaking on his run and finished 1-1/4 lengths from the winner Burning Front.
Tasmanian visitor Tshahitsi, winner of the Listed Winter Championship Final in Melbourne last July, is at $4 after finishing fourth in the Standish Handicap (1200m) first-up at Flemington on January 1.
Seaburge is at $11 with Petrology the outsider of the 10-horse field at $23.
