Stablemates Aysar and Crosshaven are set to battle it out against each for the first time since their three-year-old days at Flemington.
Lining up against each other may just be the spark Aysar and Crosshaven need to get them back into winning form.
The Lindsay Park-trained pair shape up against each other in the Listed Paris Lane Stakes (1410m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Aysar has been winless since scoring at Sandown last September while Crosshaven’s last win was in the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last October.
The pair has met on three occasions with the score two-one in the favour of Crossheaven who defeated his stablemate home in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) and in the Carbine Club Stakes.
Aysar had the better of Crosshaven when second to Ole Kirk in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) with the stablemate back in fourth place.
Now trained by Ben and Jd Hayes , the pair have been lacking race fitness, but the stable believe they are ready to put their best foot forward.
Aysar finished a last start fourth in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 18 and Ben Hayes said a softer draw may have produced a different result.
“It was a great ride by Harry Coffey, he put him in a great spot,” Hayes said.
“All the other leaders around him dropped off and he was the only one that stuck on.
“He’s knocking on the door, and a win may give him that confidence boost.
“We may then look at backing him up into the Toorak. That’s the way we’re thinking.”
Hayes said Crosshaven had taken longer to get near his top and like his stablemate is a galloper that requires racing.
Crosshaven is coming off a last start seventh in The Sofitel (1400m) at Flemington on September 11.
“I’m hoping he can bounce back,” Hayes said.
“I wasn’t disappointed with his run, it was just there were a couple of fitter horses.
“He did a lot of work up on the pace and I think he can definitely run a better race.”
