Lindsay Park co-trainer David Hayes will be looking for a vast improvement from Faatinah when he wears the blinkers of the first time in the Group 1 $750,000 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Faatinah, above, will wear the blinkers in the Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Faatinah along with stablemates Miss Promiscuity and Sheidel are among the sixteen nominations for the 1000m scamper down the Flemington straight for the Lightning.
Hayes, who trains in partnership with son Ben Hayes and nephew Tom Dabernig, said that Faatinah flew on the track with the blinkers this morning and he will be expecting a better result this weekend compared to his first seventh to Thermal Current in the Listed $120,000 Le Pine Funerals W.J. Adams Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on February 4.
“I put the blinkers on him and he did an exceptional gallop at Lindsay Park,” Hayes told racing.com.
“It was simply outstanding.
“I just wanted to see where he was at and it was just a great piece of work. He had an absolute forgive run the other day at Caulfield where he got caught wide.
“I know it’s a tough race but his gallop was just brilliant and they can improve out of sight with blinkers.”
Faatinah showed glimpses of what could be install on Saturday with two Group 2 wins during the 2016 Autumn and the early part of the 2016 Spring Carnival.
The Nicconi gelding took out the Group 2 $250,000 Euclase Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on May 7 and two starts later won the Group 2 $200,000 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington on September 10.
Faatinah also ran second to Our Boy Malachi in the Group 2 $200,000 Dilmah For Lovers Of Tea Caulfield Sprint (1000m) at Caulfield on October 15.
The Team Hawkes trained Star Turn heads the betting for the Black Caviar Lightning at $4.20 with Ladbrokes.com.au while Faatinah is marked at $21 in early markets.
Trainer Mick Price’s brilliant three year old Flying Artie and Darley Classic runner up Speith are on the second line of betting at $5.50 just ahead of Heatherly at $7.50.
Early market order for the Black Caviar Lightning at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.20 Star Turn, $5.50 Flying Artie, Speith, $7.50 Heatherly, $9 Fell Swoop, Terravista, $11 Supido, $13 The Quarterback, $15 Illustrious Lad, $17 Sheidel, $21 Counterattack, Faatinah, $34 Flamberge, $41 Miss Promiscuity, $81 Missrock, Orujo.
