Lindsay Park holds a powerful hand in Saturday’s feature race at Caulfield, the $300,000 Group 2 Lawrence Stakes, but the stable’s interest in the day’s three-year-old features are arguably just as high.
Ben, Will and JD Hayes prepare the favourites for both the Vain Stakes and Quezette Stakes, including a filly who is considered one of the most progressive in the country.
Scenic Point, equal favourite for the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) on Caulfield Cup Day, will be defending an unbeaten record in the Quezette Stakes.
The $200,000 Group 3 over 1100m is her toughest test, with her wins having come in a Pakenham maiden and the Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes, and Ben Hayes is excited about seeing her in action at Group level.
“She looks like she’s taken the improvement you want to see from their two-year-old year,” Hayes said.
“She’s probably one of the more exciting three-year-olds coming out of our stable.
“It’s a real traditional kick off and she’s ready to run first up.
“She’s going into it with improvement, but she’s ready to go.”
Hayes no stranger to producing a promising filly to win the Quezette Stakes, having won the race five years ago when training in partnership with Tom Dabernig.
That was with Bella Nipotina, who had her first 17 starts under the Lindsay Park banner before joining the Ciaron Maher stable after an ownership change.
Bella Nipotina retired a three-time Group 1 winner and $22m-earner who holds the distinction of being the only mare to win The Everest.
She is not the only The Everest winner to have won one of Saturday’s three-year-old features with Giga Kick adorning the Vain Stakes honour roll.
Clayton Douglas’s stable star won it in 2022, two months before his upset win in The Everest.
Cylinder, Bivouac, Russian Revolution, Sepoy, Toorak Toff and Starspangledbanner are among the others who won the Vain Stakes before going on to higher honours.
The Quezette Stakes includes Group 1 stars Sunlight, I Am A Star and Alinghi as past winners.
Scenic Point not the only filly who is two from two engaged in the Quezette with Signature Scent stepping up to Stakes grade after wins at Bendigo and Caulfield to start her career.
One-time Blue Diamond favourite My Gladiola, Group 3 winners The Playwright and Icarian Dream and Listed Dequetteville Stakes winner Blue Hotel are among the others engaged.
Shining Smile, who is shooting for six wins on end, and Blue Diamond placegetter Tycoon Star are Lindsay Park’s Vain Stakes runners, tackling the likes of Sydney visitor Shaggy, The Showdown winner McGaw and untapped pair Jimmy Recard and Sonofkirk.
