Lindsay Park could have saved the best for last in terms of stern tests for Evaporate this Spring, but Ben Hayes is convinced he can mix it with star sprinters Jimmysstar and Angel Capital in Saturday’s $1 million CF Orr Stakes at Caulfield.
The Per Incanto four-year-old basically demanded a shot at the 1400-metre Group 1.
Evaporate heads in off a third placing in the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m), which was his main spring target, but Hayes was pleasantly surprised with how well he came through it.
“That’s the reason we’ve decided to run, he came back from Sydney and trotted up 100 percent sound and looked a million dollars, so we had no hesitation at all,” Hayes, who trains in partnership with brothers Will and JD, said.
“It’s a small but very good field, but we’ve always had a high opinion of him.”
Evaporate is chasing a maiden Group 1 success in the weight-for-age Orr Stakes, which moves to November for the first time after previously being run in February.
His Golden Eagle placing, just over 1-1/2 lengths from the unbeaten Autumn Glow, followed a narrow second placing to Transatlantic in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m).
That reversed the result of the Group 3 Sandown Stakes (1500m), while his campaign started with a fifth placing in the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) on August 16.
Evaporate drops back to 1400m for the first time since that run, but Hayes does not think that will be an issue with the gelding who will start from the second-widest gate in the field of seven.
“I actually like it, I think the wide draw will work in his favour in the small field,” he said.
“Being one of the last to load will help him. It’s going to be a really tactical race. If he can jump well and, as long as he can get galloping room and get himself in a good rhythm, I think he’ll be very competitive.”
Evaporate, who has the services of Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Jamie Melham, will have Angel Capital to his immediate inside at the start, while Jimmysstar will start from barrier three.
