Lindsay Park has opted against rolling the dice with a $55,000 late entry fee for Hard Kick in Saturday’s Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield.
While Hard Kick will not take his place in the $2 million feature, Cranbourne trainers Ken and Kasey Keys have paid up to secure a start for Inglis Millennium placegetter Alibaba.
Hard Kick produced a dazzling display in last Saturday’s Listed Talindert Stakes (1100m), putting his rivals away with a sharp burst late to earn $7 equal favouritism in Blue Diamond markets.
But co-trainer Ben Hayes confirmed the Lindsay Park team had decided to resist the temptation and instead aim the colt at either a Flemington assignment next Saturday or a possible Sydney campaign.
“After consultation with the entire team, we’ve decided not to pay the late entry fee to run Hard Kick in the Blue Diamond,” Hayes, who trains in partnership with brothers Will and JD, told News Corp.
“He’s had a busy time of it with three trials and a race in pretty quick time so it’s best for the horse that we don’t back him up.”
The Hayes brothers will still be well represented in the Blue Diamond Stakes, with Torture and Eurocanto confirmed runners after Jacaranda failed to make the final field.
