The Lindsay Park juggernaut in juvenile races has continued with another winner at Moonee Valley as the stable prepares to have a big hand in the country’s richest race for two-year-olds.
Trainers David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig are set to have four runners in Saturday’s $3.5 million Golden Slipper at Rosehill with Blue Diamond winner Catchy joined by fellow stakes winning fillies Formality, Tulip and Madeenaty.
Tulip has been confirmed as a Slipper starter after her Magic Night Stakes win on Saturday, with Kerrin McEvoy to ride.
“We’re going to run Tulip,” Ben Hayes said.
“You only get that chance once.
“She has won at the track and distance. We know she handles the wet. Her prep leading into the race was well spaced, so backing up hopefully won’t be a problem.”
The unbeaten Catchy is on the third line of Slipper betting with Sportsbet.com.au at $7 with Tulip at $11, Formality at $15 and Madeenaty at $51.
Catchy, Formality, Tulip and Madeenaty have headlined a successful season for the stable in the juvenile ranks, and stablemate Luqyaa became the 17th individual two-year-old winner for the team with a win at Moonee Valley on Monday.
Her win took the stable’s total two-year-old race wins this season to 26.
Luqyaa was unplaced on debut in an Inglis race at Moonee Valley in October and was sent for a spell.
She resumed in Monday’s City Jeep Sprint Plate (1000m) for two-year-old fillies and worked to sit outside the leader True Excelsior before taking over at the top of the straight.
Ridden by Damien Oliver, Luqyaa ($7.50) went on to win by a length from favourite Purrhaps ($3.40) while leader True Excelsior ($4.40) held on for third, another half-neck away.
“After her last run she was a bit weak so we put her out and it’s done her the world of good,” Ben Hayes said.
“She was quite strong today.”
