Impeccably bred colt More Than Most could earn himself a start in the Group 1 $1m BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 10 if he can overcome a horror barrier draw at Flemington on Saturday.
Jockey Damian Lane will be aboard More Than Most in the Pin&Win Stakes at Flemington. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
More Than Most is likely to start from barrier fourteen in the final sixteen horse field if the four emergencies fail to gain a start and Lindsay Park co-trainer David Hayes is still expecting him to run a mighty race.
The More Than Ready colt, out of the Danehill mare Dansino, was beaten half a length at his first run back this campaign in a 1300m BenchMark 64 Handicap at Sandown on August 12 and Hayes is looking for further improvement from the run to earn a start in the Caulfield Guineas.
But he has put the pressure on jockey Damien Lane who will have to be at his best to get some cover in the early and middle stages to give More Than Most every possible chance from the wide gate.
“It will take a very good ride but well and truly capable of winning,” Hayes said on is weekend preview.
“He has been set for this for a long time and he is on trial for the Guineas.”
“With a good run in transit, could run very well.”
More Than Most has only visited the winner’s stall on one occasions from five race starts when he scored a one length win in a 1400m Cranbourne two year old Maiden in May.
In early betting at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Pin & Win Stakes, More Than Most has been listed as a $21 chance while his stablemate Sovereign Nation is well in the market at $8.
Sovereign Nation is stepping up to 1400m after winning on debut in a 1000m Geelong Maiden on August 28 and Hayes has been happy with the Encosta De Lago colt’s work since.
“Crying out for the 1400m and his track work has been terrific this week down at Flemington,” Hayes said.
In a wide betting race, the Mick Price trained Prince Of Brooklyn heads the market order at $5.50 ahead of Peter Moody’s El Greco and Team Hawkes’ Snoopy who share the second line of betting at $7.
Prince Of Brooklyn was undefeated from two runs during the Autumn and Winter months with wins in the Group 3 $115,000 Seven News National Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on May 16 and in the $100,000 VOBIS Gold Elvstroem Classic (1300m) at Swan Hill on June 5.
But he suffered his first defeat when sixth as favourite to Gold Symphony in the Group 3 $150,000 H.D.F. McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 29.
