The Lindsay Park trained Long Leaf and Good ‘N’ Fast are set to clash in Saturday’s Group 2 $250,000 Ladbrokes Sandown Guineas (1600m) at Ladbrokes Park at Sandown.
Long Leaf and Good ‘N’ Fast are two of fifteen three year olds nominated for the Sandown Guineas and the two colts are coming off completely opposite preparations.
Long Leaf is stepping straight up to the 1600m after finishing sixth over 1200m down the Flemington straight in the Group 1 $1m Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on the first day of the four day Melbourne Cup Carnival on November 3 while Good ‘N’ Fast raced over 1600m on the same day when eighth in the Group 3 $200,000 The Carbine Club Stakes.
Good ‘N’ Fast is a winner over 1600m when he took out the Listed Taj Rossi Series Final at Flemington in July and also ran fourth to The Autumn Sun in the Group 1 $2m Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 13.
Long Leaf has only had one go over the mile for a ninth to Seabrook in the Group 1 $500,000 Moet & Chandon Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick at the end of his two year old season during the 2018 Sydney Autumn Carnival.
“It’s a bit of an unusual prep for us going from the 1200 metres straight to the mile,” Dabernig told AAP.
“I don’t know what his best trip is, it’s possibly 1400 metres, so we’ll see how he handles it on Saturday.”
“Good ‘N’ Fast ran fourth in the Guineas and then he had an awkward run when he was exposed early in the Carbine Club.”
“You wouldn’t say the best is behind him and he’s been competitive all preparation.”
Long Leaf is the best of the David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig trained pair in the betting for the Sandown Guineas at $8.50 with Ladbrokes.com.au while Good ‘N’ Fast is marked at $12 in early markets.
The Darren Weir trained Ringerdingding is the early $2.80 favourite ahead Seabrook at $4 and Junipal at $6.50.
Betting for the 2018 Sandown Guineas at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.80 Ringerdingding, $4 Seabrook, $6.50 Junipal, $8.50 Long Leaf, Scottish Rogue, $10 Secret Blaze, $12 Good ‘N’ Fast, Zoutori, $16 Havana Heat, Ulusaba, $34 Igniter, Predecessor, Syd’s Coin, $101 Achieve Victory, Du To Pass.