Lindsay Park co-trainer Ben Hayes is confident Pickup The Pieces’ impressive form on the training track can translate into a winning return at Caulfield.
Pickup The Pieces runs first-up in Saturday’s Long Fine Plate (1200m) for three-year-old fillies on the back of winning two jump-outs in recent weeks at Flemington.
Last Friday the filly sped along in her second jump-out of the preparation to win her heat by about five lengths in a trial performance Hayes said was “as dominant as you can get”.
Group-winning colt Sesar was second in the heat and is the short-priced favourite for Saturday’s weight-for-age Group Three Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) which is run one race after Pickup The Pieces goes around.
Pickup The Pieces has won three of her nine starts – two at Kyneton and one at Sandown – and resumes for her first start since being unplaced in the Listed Bendigo Guineas at the end of March.
“I think she has really improved,” Hayes said.
“I think she has matured a bit and she’s that little bit stronger.
“She had a good prep last time and managed to win three races, which is pretty good.
“She’s coming back off a good break and her trials certainly look like she has improved. So hopefully she can do it on race day.”
Pickup The Pieces was the $3.60 favourite on Friday with Hayes confident about the filly’s winning chances.
“I think the way she races, she just bounces and goes forward,” he said.
“The only thing that might put me off a little is if we get the forecast rain and the track is rain-affected.
“But if it was on a good track I’d say she would be very hard to beat.”
