Jumps races return to metropolitan venue
With winter approaching, jumps racing makes a return to the city with a hurdle and steeplechase at Sandown.
The jumps season last year was held throughout Victorian country racetracks after Sandown underwent renovations.
Feature races including the Australian Hurdle, the Grand National Hurdle and the Grand National Steeplechase were transferred to Ballarat and Warrnambool.
Sandown this year hosts the Australian Hurdle and Steeplechase in May and the Grand National Hurdle in August while Ballarat will hold the Grand National Steeplechase.
Lindsay Park co-trainer David Hayes enjoys preparing the odd jumper and Auld Burns represents the stable in the Jack Dow Memorial Hurdle on Wednesday.
Hayes’ father Colin got his start in training with Surefoot winning a hurdle race before he became one of Australia’s all-time great horsemen.
And Hip Flask gave Hayes himself a Grand National Hurdle win not long after he took over from his father.
Auld Burns enters Wednesday’s race after a 2900m hurdle victory at Oakbank on Easter Saturday but Hayes thinks the gelding’s future may lie over the bigger jumps.
“If they show that they’re too sharp he might go steeplechasing,” Hayes said.
Hayes said he would be guided by how Auld Burns performed on Wednesday but said the approaching three-day Warrnambool carnival was a logical step.
The trainer is also eyeing the Warrnambool carnival with maiden jumpers, Honey Steel’s Gold and Australian Cup runner-up Extra Zero.
“He’s my star,” Hayes said of Extra Zero.
Extra Zero won a hurdle school at Cranbourne on April 1 before losing his rider at the last jump in another school at Ballarat on April 8.
“Honey Steel’s Gold will run in the maiden hurdle at Warrnambool and Extra Zero is ready to go too,” Hayes said.
Hayes also has plans for a jumping career for Dane Hussler, runner-up in the 4000m Marathon Series Final at Caulfield on Saturday.