The Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and Jd Hayes are always looking for those little one percenters in bringing out the best in their gallopers.
While not pinning down the victory of Tycoon Star in the Group 3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday entirely to a subtle gear change, the Lindsay Park boys did acknowledge it.
Ridden by Michael Dee, Tycoon Star ($4.8) sat on the speed before recording a 1-¾ length win from McGaw ($6) with Jimmy Recard ($4) a further three-quarters-of-a-length away third.
Tycoon Star bounced back from his first-up second in the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield a fortnight ago and Ben Hayes said fitness from that run had aided the colt’s chances on Saturday.
“The visors helped, but personally I think it was fitness,” Hayes said.
“He loomed up last start to win and today, with that run under the belt, two weeks between runs, he was tough all-the-way through the line
“With Jimmy Recard, and McGaw, they both have good form, and it should be a good form race going forward.”
The Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival is still two months away and the Lindsay Park team will now plot a path to that race.
The Coolmore Stud Stakes is regarded as one of the stallion making races of the spring for three-year-olds and Hayes said the 1200m contest down the Flemington straight won’t pose any fears for the colt.
“He looks sharp and he’s already a winner down the straight,” Hayes said.
“We’ve got lots of options, but I’d like to talk to Mickey (Dee) and the owners and make a decision, but we could see him down the straight next start, but we’ll have to have a talk to the team.”
Dee said he made the decision to ride Tycoon Star out of his comfort zone as he did not want to go back in the field and be a ‘flashing light’ run.
“He’s probably not best ridden the way I rode him, but it was the way it panned out,” Dee said.
“I thought McGaw was able to get to the front quite comfortably and then I decided to give him that squeeze and end up outside him.
“He gave a good kick and that was the winning kick at the top of the straight.
“He’s barely done anything wrong, apart from hanging in first-up and probably being a little bit fresh and peaking on his run.
“The boys are really happy with how he paraded today, and he relaxed much better and he’s going to improve again out of this.”
