The Lindsay Park stable is confident the Blue Diamond Stakes aspirations of two-year-old Eurocanto are back on track.
The Ben, Will and J D Hayes-trained two-year-old was sent back to the trials after being withdrawn from the Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) at Caulfield on January 24.
Eurocanto played up in the gates that day and was scratched at the barriers.
The colt required a veterinary clearance to be cleared to race again after the vets on race day deemed Eurocanto lame in the near foreleg, while stewards ordered the two-year-old to trial their satisfaction in a jump-out.
That jump-out occurred last Friday at Flemington with Eurocanto finishing second in an 800m heat behind the Don’t Hope Do.
J D Hayes said the stable was relieved to see their Blue Diamond hope back at the races with the two-year-old down to run at Caulfield on Saturday in the Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m).
Hayes said in an ideal world Eurocanto would be heading into Victoria’s premier two-year-old race, the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 21, at his third run for the campaign.
But Hayes said the stable was buoyed by the way Eurocanto performed last Friday.
“He trialled really well against the older horses, and he’ll be taking his place,” Hayes said.
“He’s back on track and I thought it was a good trial.
“He passed with flying colours, and he was on his best behaviour and hopefully he stays that way.”
Eurocanto has raced just once previously winning the Listed Maribyrnong Trial (1000m) at Flemington last October.
In preparation for what was hoped to be his first-up outing on January 24, Eurocanto had two jump-outs, finishing third at Flemington on January 2 before scoring at Werribee on January 16.
“I don’t think he will be lacking anything for fitness on Saturday,” Hayes said.
Eurocanto will be the sole starter in the colts and gelding’s division of the Prelude for Lindsay Park with the stable accepting with Jacaranda, Medicinal and Portinari in the fillies’ division.
Jacaranda has also been accepted with in the Inglis Millennium (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday with all three fillies looking to join both Eurocanto and Torture in the Blue Diamond on February 21.
