In a bid to get Little Brose to concentrate, the Lindsay Park stable has called for a set of blinkers ahead of the colt’s outing at Caulfield.
Little Brose steps up to the 1400m for the first time in blinkers when he runs in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude on Saturday.
And the colt’s performance will then tell trainers Ben, Will and J D Hayes whether Little Brose is a genuine hope for the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 14.
Little Brose stamped his class as a two-year-old when successful in the Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Sandown in the autumn but has been beaten in two runs as a three-year-old.
The Hayes brothers has juggled the gear Little Brose has worn, applying winkers ahead of the Blue Diamond before removing them when the colt resumed with his fourth-place finish in the Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 19.
The winkers were reapplied for the McNeil Stakes (1200m) on September 2, in which he finished third, but Ben Hayes said blinkers will go on for Saturday’s outing.
“We think he is looking for the 1400 metres as in his last two runs he’s been hitting the line quite well,” Hayes said.
“But he hasn’t really been focussing through the race, changing legs and that sort of thing, which has been affecting him at the finish.
“So, we’ve decided to go with a set of blinkers and hopefully that will help him focus while the extra 200 metres as well should help.
“We’ve always wanted to get him out past those sprinting trips, and this is his opportunity to show us that he is a genuine Caulfield Guineas horse.”
Michael Dee, who has ridden Little Brose in six of his seven career starts, including both starts this campaign, for two wins, will again ride the colt on Saturday.
