Ben Hayes is confident a drop back in trip will bring out the best in Lindsay Park’s leading Bendigo Guineas contender, but he is equally adamant a step up in trip will aid its other runner.
The 1400-metre Listed event will be the second start of the campaign for Group 2 winner Double Market.
The daughter of Castelvecchio failed to beat a rival home in the Group 3 Typhoon Tracy Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on March 22, but that was the shortest race she’s contested at her first try on wet ground and on a day when few horses made ground.
“She was well short of her trip first-up and because she did so well last prep she’s kicked off in Stakes grade,” Hayes said.
“She’s come on from the run and her work has been excellent.
“With the step up to 1400 metres, you will see a big improvement.”
Double Market, who won the Group 2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic (1600m) at The Valley on Cox Plate Day last year at just her second start, is a $41 chance with stablemate Ndola the $4.40 second elect.
Ndola ran third in the VOBIS Golf Reef and ninth in the Group 1 Australian Guineas at 1600m at his past two starts, which proved to Hayes and his co-trainer brothers Will and JD that 1600m is too far for him.
The start before the Guineas, Ndola ran a slashing second in the Group 3 C S Hayes Stakes at 1400m.
“He loomed up to win that race, but he just peaked on his run,” Hayes said of the last-start performance.
“We’ve tried him twice at a mile and both times he hasn’t quite finished off, so I think dropping back to 1400 metres will be suitable for him.
“The horse is in fantastic order. We’ve got a good opinion of him, but he may be a sprinter, 1400-metre horse and we’ll train him like that now.”
Luke Currie, who has ridden Ndola at eight of his nine starts, retains the ride on the son of Justify, who will jump from barrier four in the field that is down to 11 runners, with Michael Dee to take the reins aboard Double Market from gate seven.
