What was looking as a likely strong line-up from Lindsay Park for the Guineas races at Caulfield has dwindled to one definite and one possibility.
Filly Catchy will tackle the males in the Caulfield Guineas on October 14 with the stable engaging Mark Zahra to ride the three-year-old.
The performance of Pure Scot in Saturday’s Group Two Edward Manifold Stakes at Flemington will determine whether she backs up for the stable in the Thousand Guineas 2017 on the same day.
Senior trainer David Hayes said the stable moved quickly to engage Zahra for the Catchy ride.
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Craig Williams and Regan Bayliss, who have both been successful on the filly, will be in Sydney to ride Vega Magic and Redkirk Warrior respectively in the $10 million Everest at Randwick on the same day.
“There’s a shortage of jockeys for the top races over that weekend so we wanted to get someone locked away,” Hayes said.
“We’ve had quite a bit of success with Mark in the past so it was an easy choice.”
Catchy is likely to be the only runner for the stable in the Caulfield Guineas.
“We’ve decided to go on a different path with some of the colts,” Hayes said.
“I don’t think it will matter. We only need one.
“She’s a Group One winner against the boys and is getting weight off them.”
Lindsay Park had a number of fillies aimed at the Thousand Guineas including Everest contender Tulip and another Coolmore-owned three-year-old Formality who has been freshened and will be kept to sprinting.
Regan Bayliss replaces Corey Parish on Saturday aboard Pure Scot following her last start seventh at Caulfield on September 23.
“She might back up if she wins on Saturday in the blinkers,” Hayes said.
“Otherwise we might be looking to run her over 2000 metres.”
Eshtiraak, a one-time Caulfield Guineas contender, is being stepped up in distance with the Victoria Derby on his agenda.
He takes a step towards the Derby with Damien Oliver aboard in the UCI Stakes (1800m) on Saturday.
