The Hayes brothers will start planning a spring campaign for smart two-year-olds Jenni’s Meadow and Sneaky Sunrise after their one-two finish in the Taj Rossi Series Final.
Second favourite Sneaky Sunrise went into the race at Flemington slightly more fancied of the two, but Jenni’s Meadow relished the 1600m distance.
“I’ll talk to the boys and the whole team and see how she pulls up,” Ben Hayes said.
“I’m not exactly sure (spring targets), this was the grand final, this was the race we wanted to win, and to win impressively like that is fantastic.”
Jenni’s Meadow placed fourth behind Sneaky Sunrise last start at Flemington, beaten a length, but turned the tables on Saturday.
“She was well weighted today and I think she just had a beautiful run,” Ben Hayes said.
“The last few starts she’s been ducking in and losing momentum at the wrong part of the race and picking up and hitting the line strong.”
Winning jockey Ethan Brown with Jenni’s Meadow’s owner Tony Ottobre. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images
Sneaky Sunrise emerged late in the straight but could not hold out her stablemate.
Stay Silent stuck on boldly for third after riding the speed, while fourth-placed favourite Pisces found the 1600m a step too far right now.
Hayes was happy with Sneaky Sunrise.
“She ran super, just the weight got her late but she still hit the line strong,” Hayes said.
“She picked up black type, she’s had a really good prep as well, they’re both progressive fillies so to get black type with both of them is a big tick, the trainers are very happy.”
Meanwhile, Hayes said Aztec State was scratched from the Mahogany Series Final after pulling up a bit sore on Saturday morning.
“I wanted to run him like mad but he pulled up a little bit sore and I wasn’t willing to risk a good horse, he’ll be fine, it was just bad timing,” Hayes said.
FAST LANE
Top jockey Damian Lane nailed a tactical ride in the run to guide Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained first-starter Aldolfito to victory at Flemington.
As short-priced favourite I Found You, a $1.60 with TAB, loomed up ominously in the Next Generations Sprinters Series Final (1200m) only to be collared late inside the last 100m.
“I wasn’t sure how much he (Blake Shinn on I Found You) had up his sleeve so I made a conscious effort to go and go quick,” Lane said.
“Try to get him still sitting pretty and I got that neck on him, obviously the Snowden runner found when I headed it but ultimately this guy was too strong late.”
Coleman said Aldolfito could be a player in the back end of the spring.
“He’s a nice horse we have always had a decent opinion of but as a colt he was just really unfocused last preparation and still a real lad, a big baby,” Coleman said.
“Hadn’t quite figured out what it was all about, coming back this time around as a gelding he’s a real racehorse.”
This article contains features which are only available in the web versionTake me there