Lindsay Park co-trainer Ben Hayes has credited the addition of blinkers for the return to winning form of Plymouth at Caulfield.
The Ben, Will and J D Hayes-trained galloper scored his first win since collecting the Benalla Cup last September when taking out the Lamaro’s After The Last Handicap (2000m) on Saturday.
Ridden by Jamie Mott, Plymouth ($7.50) scored a three-quarter length win from Howlin’ Rain ($13) with Brayden Star ($51) a half-length away third.
Ben Hayes said the Lindsay Park team had been waiting for the right time to apply the blinkers again to Plymouth who had been wearing winkers.
After finishing 12th in the Group 3 Easter Cup (2000m) at Caulfield in April, Plymouth ran third in a benchmark 1000 race, the same conditions that he contested on Saturday.
“We just felt last start at Flemington that he probably hit the front early and peaked on his run.” Hayes said.
“He had been relaxing so well all prep after we had been wanting him to relax, that we had put the blinkers on him.
“Back in trip, the blinkers went on today and it was a ten-out-of-ten ride from Jamie.
“He had been running really well, and it was well-deserved.”
Hayes said the plan had been to be forward on Plymouth and in the process gain some confidence out of Saturday’s win.
The one concern for the Lindsay Park trainers’ pre-race was whether Plymouth would handle the Soft 7 conditions.
“After today I think we’ll keep him to 2000 (metres) and with the blinkers on, he definitely got the couple of lengths that he needed,” Hayes said.
“He’s lightly exposed on wet tracks, and that was a question mark, the Soft 7. I thought he did a good job handling that, so it’s all very good going into winter.”
What comes next is a question Hayes and his brothers will sit down to discuss.
A trip north to Brisbane has not been ruled out.
“I was thinking about that, but I’ll need to talk to my brothers, or we could stay here and win another one of these types of races,” Hayes said.
“But I know the owners don’t mind a trip.”
