CS Hayes Stakes – 2021

Track: Good   Weather: Fine

Sixteen three year-olds have accepted for the running of $160,000 CS Hayes Stakes.  Grand Pope is an early scratching.  There are nine colts and six geldings in this years race.  Ten have had a start at Group 1 although Tagaloa is the only Group 1 winner.  He won the Blue Diamond Stakes as a two year-old.  Aysar is the early favourite in a wide open betting race.  The Caulfield Guineas runner up finished second first up in the Manfred Stakes.   The second favourite is the New Zealand visitor Brando.  He has won three of his five starts and was only narrowly defeated at Group 1 level at Trentham on January 16.

Cambourne resumes in his second preparation.  He progressed quickly through the grades during the spring and looks capable of going to a new level this time in.  Tagaloa is another to come through the Manfred Stakes.  He was stuck three wide there and fought on well to finish third.  Aim won the Magic Millions 3 YO Guineas last start.  Here To Shock bolted in at Geelong against easier company.  Mo’unga is now with trainer Annabel Neasham and has a good turn of foot.  Dom To Shoot has finished third at his last two starts in his home state of Western Australia.  Cherry Tortoni has trailed up well at Werribee and Geelong and has finished in the top three at three of his four Flemington runs.  Embolism is another to have trialed well recently.  He impressed winning two races in his first preparation.  Beltoro finished second to the smart Ayrton on Boxing Day.  The remaining runners are longer than $20-1.

1. Tagloa

2020 Blue Diamond winner.  He jumped out well prior to his first up run where he did it tough 3 wide with out cover.  He maps to get a soft run on the fence this time around and if the breaks come his way he is a major contender.

2. Cherry Tortoni

Resumes.  He won the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase on October 24 and then may not of seen out the trip when running fourth in the VRC Derby.  When asked for an effort in a recent Werribee trial he quickened nicely to win a strong heat.  He has drawn well and is in the mix here.

3. Lunar Fox

Lunar Fox ran a terrific race to finish 5th in the Caulfield Guineas at long odds.  The knock on him here is that he is yet to run a place in three previous first up attempts.

4. Aim

Sailed down the outside to win the Magic Millions 3 YO Guineas last start.  This is tougher.

5. Mo’unga

Mo’unga resumes here for a new trainer, Annabel Neasham.  The son of Savabeel caught the eye with an electric turn of foot at Newcastle and Rosehill during the spring.  Subsequently he was well fancied in the Caulfield Guineas but could only muster a midfield finish – he may of had enough by that stage.  Another who is likely to come back a better horse and Flemington should suit his racing style.

6. Brando

The blinkers go on for this Kiwi’s first Australian run.  He has won 3 times in New Zealand and finished a narrow second in the Group 1 Levin Classic at his last start.  He looks a real talent and Kiwi trainer Jamie Richards knows what it takes to win over here.

7. Beltoro

He has had some time off since finishing a distant second to the smart Ayrton on Boxing Day.  He did look good winning a race at Flemington prior.

8. Ebolism

The formidable partnership of Oliver and O’Brien team up here with Embolism.  He was a dominant winner at Caulfield in October and then was badly held up at a key stage in the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes.  He is still very lightly raced with a lot of upside – I doubt we have seen the best of him.

9. Aysar

Ben Hayes is attempting to win the race named after his grandfather with Aysar.  He is a very consistent colt who has finished second at his last 3 starts.   He has drawn well in barrier 8 and is one of the leading chances.

10. Dom To Shoot

Sean and Jake Casey bring Dom To Shoot across from the West.  He rattled home to run a narrow third in the WA Guinea’s on November 21 and then finished third again in the Group 1 Kingston Town against the older horses on December 5.  He has a wide draw (15) to contend with here which may make things tough.

11. Grandslam

Connections thought enough of Grand Slam to run him in the Cox Plate after he ran third at a huge price in the Caulfield Guinea’s.  Despite drawing wide, he looks the likely leader here and if he gets an easy enough time in front he may take some running down at a big price.

12. Zac De Boss

Strong win at Warrnambool on debut and then won again at Caulfield.  Faces a big rise in class here.  Prefer to just watch him.

13. Cambourne

Cambourne went from a Donald maiden win on debut to a run in the Caulfield Guinea’s at start number 4.  He has trialed well at Geelong recently and has each way claims here.

14. Here To Shock

Track pattern was against this colt on debut but he still stormed home to run third.  He has since bolted in at Sandown and Geelong and looks a real talent.  If Glenn Boss can find some cover from barrier 13 it would not surprise to see him measure up at group level.

15. The Pres

Now with Kevin Corsten’s.  Draws wide and looks out classed here.

16. Grand Pope – Scratched

The following are the top 4 selections for this years race.

Jo’s Tips	Lewis’ Tips
6. Brando	14. Here To Shock
9. Aysar	8. Embolism
2. Cherry Tortoni	9. Aysar
5. Mo’unga	2. Cherry Tortoni

Group 1 Lightning Stakes (Flemington 1000m)

Group 3 The Vanity (Flemington 1400m)