The Lindsay Park stable knows what it is like to score in the Caulfield Cup with a longshot.
In 2017 when David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig were at the helm, Boom Time took out the race for unheralded jockey Cory Parish.
Move to 2025, and Lindsay Park, now under the guardianship of Ben, Will and J D Hayes, has two longshot runners in Saturday’s 2400m handicap – Bankers Choice ($101) and Plymouth ($61).
Ben Hayes expects both horses to outrun their current odds and can finish in the top ten.
Parish earned his place in Caulfield Cup history with his work ethic for Lindsay Park and Celine Gaudray has been rewarded for her work with the Hayes brothers, gaining the mount on Plymouth.
Gaudray has ridden twice at Group 1 level, both times on Buffalo River, which carried the same colours as Plymouth on Saturday.
Buffalo River was prepared by the late Mike Moroney who also trained Plymouth before his death.
Ben Hayes said Gaudray had ridden a couple of Stakes winners for the stable and deserves her chance in a big race.
“She has been riding a lot of work for us,” Hayes said.
“She’s had a bit of success and ridden a couple of Stakes winners, so we’re giving her an opportunity in a big race like this.
“You like to reward people who work hard, and she does jump-outs and rides work down at our Pakenham facility. She can do the weight, and she deserves her chance.”
Plymouth earned his chance in the Caulfield Cup after finishing second in the Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield last Saturday with Jamie Kah in the saddle.
Kah rides the $2.90 favourite Half Yours on Saturday.
Hayes said on Kah’s recommendation, Plymouth will switch from blinkers to visors on Saturday.
“His run last week, we were really happy with,” Hayes said.
“Jamie just felt that he hit the front and star gazed a bit with the blinkers on, so we’ve done a minor gear change, gone from blinkers back to the visors.
“With the back-up run under his belt, he should run out the 2400 metres pretty strong.
“Mike had a good opinion of him, and we wanted to tick off the 2400 metres last start, and he definitely ticked that off.
“I have spoken to Jamie, and she said he can be very competitive, but she is also happy to be riding the other one (Half Yours).”
Bankers Choice earned his shot at the Caulfield Cup after winning the Mornington Cup (2400m) in April, earning a ballot exemption.
Hayes said the stable had been able to prepare the gelding the way they wanted without having to rely on a victory to get into the Cup.
“He had his Queensland prep, and was already in the race, so we didn’t need to screw him down and try and win his way in,” Hayes said.
“I thought his run the other day (at Mornington) was good.
“He’s a horse that naturally puts himself on pace and he’ll be rolling across, and he can run well and better than his odds suggest.”
