Hayes with two chances in Sires’ Produce
Seaburge missed out on what David Hayes had hoped would be the colt’s first shot at a Group One race but he will get a chance at the elite level in the Sires’ Produce Stakes in Sydney.
Seaburge, impressive winner of the Group Two VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes in Melbourne last start, is one of two runners for Hayes and his co-trainer Tom Dabernig in Saturday’s 1400m Group One for juveniles at Randwick.
The Lindsay Park team also has Blue Diamond third placegetter Zamzam in the Sires’ who is coming off a Listed win at Moonee Valley at her most recent start.
“It was interesting, I thought Seaburge was our best horse going into the Blue Diamond and he didn’t get a run,” Hayes said.
“Then he came out and won the Sires’ at Flemington.
“I think he would have been a very competitive horse in the Blue Diamond.”
Zamzam was competitive in Diamond, beating all but the two Mick Price-trained colts Extreme Choice and Flying Artie who cleared out from the rest of the field.
Seaburge, who will be striving to become the first horse since Full On Aces in 1981 to win the Melbourne and Sydney Sires’ Produce Stakes double, is at $8 with Zamzam at $15.
Golden Slipper runner-up Yankee Rose and fourth-placegetter Telperion share favouritism at $3.80.
Hayes believes both his runners will be pretty competitive.
“They’re both coming from really good Melbourne form,” Hayes said.
“Zamzam came from a strong third in the Blue Diamond and then franked the form by winning and it strikes me that she’s looking for seven furlongs.
“Seaburge couldn’t have been more impressive in the Sires’.
“He’s got a bad barrier so we’re going to have work out (tactics), he’ll probably be the swooper in the race and we just hope there’s enough pace. But he’s a very, very good horse.”