Lindsay Park head trainer David Hayes is expecting Long Leaf to fight out the finish of the 2018 Group 2 $250,000 Ladbrokes Sandown Guineas (1600m) at Ladbrokes Park at Sandown on Saturday.
Long Leaf, above, has a strong chance in the Ladbrokes Sandown Guineas at Sandown. Photo by Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Long Leaf is coming off a last start sixth to Sunlight down the Flemington straight in the Group 1 $1m Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on November 3 and Hayes can see a drop back in class and a step up in distance as positive markers for Long Leaf in the Sandown Guineas.
“I think back in class and up to a mile, I wouldn’t be surprise if he fought out the finish,” Hayes said.
Mark Zahra gets the ride on Long Leaf again who has drawn nicely at barrier four in the twelve horse Sandown Guineas field and the Fastnet Rock colt will have the blinkers off and the winkers on this week.
“Love him from the gate (barrier 4). Has the blinkers off, the winkers on,” Hates said.
The Lindsay Park Team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig will also saddle up Good ‘N’ Fast in the Sandown Guineas and the Sebring colt will have to overcome a horror draw at eleven with Luke Nolen on top again.
“Has a shocking gate (barrier 11). Has not drawn a gate for his last three or four runs so he will be ridden patiently and produced late,” Hayes said.
Nolen has been aboard Good ‘N’ Fast for all of his seven race starts which includes two wins during his two year old season, one over the 1600m, the same distance as the Sandown Guineas.
Good ‘N’ Fast finished just behind the placegetters two starts back when fourth to The Autumn Sun in the Group 1 $2m Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 13 and is coming off a last start eighth to Ranier in the Group 3 $200,000 The Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on November 3.
Long Leaf is the better preferred of the two Lindsay Park colts at $7.50 in the betting for the Sandown Guineas at Ladbrokes.com.au while Good ‘N Fast is marked at $12.
The Darren Weir trained Ringerdinding heads up the betting at $3 just ahead of the only filly in the Sandown Guineas, Seabrook, at $3.50.
