Lindsay Park co-trainer Ben Hayes was left shaking his head after Evaporate held on to score in a Stakes race at Sandown.
The Group 3 Sandown Stakes (1500m) on Saturday was Evaporate’s first run since finishing fifth in the Group 2 P B Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield last month.
In between Evaporate suffered a mild virus that resulted in trainers Ben, Will and J D Hayes backing off on the four-year-old and altering his spring program.
A jump-out victory at Flemington last week showed the Lindsay Park team Evaporate was back in peak condition.
Ridden by Blake Shinn, Evaporate ($3.70) scored a short-half-head victory over the $2.60 favourite Transatlantic with Athanatos ($7.50) a length-and-a-quarter away third.
Ben Hayes said the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield on October 11 was the likely next target for the galloper.
After settling midfield, Shinn made a midrace move to take up the running, much to the annoyance of Hayes.
“I’m glad he won, otherwise he might have been in a bit of trouble,” Hayes said.
“He made the move, the horse won and full credit to Blake.
“He’s a very exciting horse, like we have always thought, and I think he’s put his hand up to run in the Toorak Handicap in which he can be competitive.
“He got a little virus, had a long time between runs and had a very good horse to his inside which was rock hard fit.
“I’m very proud of the horse.”
Shinn said he saw an opportunity to take up the running.
He said the speed map had El Rocko and Transatlantic leading, but they were not going very hard.
“Evaporate is an interesting horse,” Shinn said.
“He’s a bold going horse, a bit arrogant. The speed map had El Rocko and Transatlantic being forward, but the pace wasn’t that fast.
“There was an opportunity for me to creep forward, and I went ‘wow’ I might be able to sneak to the front, so I let him slide.
“I’ve got a lot of trust in this horse. He’s a very good horse on his day, as we know, and in the back of my mind he had had the break between runs, but I know how he likes to be ridden.
“You have to go with him, not fight him and that was the play out there.
“We caught them on the fly and thankfully we got it right.”
