A return to Sandown has paid a dividend for Lindsay Park galloper Le Ferrari who led home a one-two finish for Ben, Will and J D Hayes.
Le Ferrari over-ran stablemate Rheinberg to claim the Thoroughbred Club Of Australia Handicap (1400m) on Saturday.
Ridden by Ben Allen, Le Ferrari ($10) overhauled Rheinberg ($7.50) in the final 50m to score a half-length win with Talbragar ($9) a short-half-head away third.
Le Ferrari competed through late summer and early autumn before the Hayes brothers decided to freshen the gelding for a campaign aimed at winter racing.
“He’s freshened up beautifully,” Will Hayes said.
“We’ve just had him up at out farm, on the water-walker ticking over and just bridged him to where we thought he would be well placed at this time of year.
“His run at Caulfield last time really put the writing on the wall that he was a horse in form and what he did today was quite impressive.
“There’s a lot of options for him going forward, so he’ll probably pop up at Caulfield or Flemington, or even back here, going forward, one of those nice city meetings, as he establishes himself as a nice city horse.”
Hayes said Le Ferrari could be stepped up in distance with the Winter Championship at Flemington a possibility.
“There’s plenty of options for him and I know we’re on a Good 4 today, but he does go on a soft track as, so there are options aplenty for a horse like him at this time of year,” Hayes said.
Hayes was equally impressed with the performance of runner-up Rheinberg.
“I thought it was a terrific effort,” Hayes said.
“He led them up, got there quite easily, but a horse in form, well-trained, beat him.”
Lindsay Park completed a race-to-race double with the victory of Nicolini Vito in the Sportsbet Feed Handicap (1400m).
