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David Hayes will take a large contingent of runners to Sandown this Saturday spearheaded by Rawnaq in the Group 2 Zipping Classic.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Rawnaq is the only three-year-old set to contest Saturday's feature event and comes into calculations for the event after an encouraging third in the Victoria Derby (2500m).
Having missed a key lead up to the Derby when scratched from the Geelong Classic, Hayes is happy to give the Redoute's Choice colt another start this preparation.
“When he missed the Derby trial he had another run up his sleeve for this prep,” Hayes said.
“He worked very well this morning and I certainly believe he is a mile and a half horse plus.
“He's had a light spring, missed a critical lead up into the Derby so there is plenty left in the tank for him and he is full of beans.”
Rawnaq worked home well in the Derby last start and Saturday's Zipping Classic is the last suitable race available to the colt this spring.
“We thought we would give him a try at weight for age,” Hayes told Sky Sports Radio.
“It is a big step up in class but we think he can handle it.
“He finished brilliantly when that staying test began [Derby] but what I was very pleased with was his sectional times compared to the Mackinnon and Lexus and that tells me he can be competitive with the older horses because those times were without the weight advantage.
“We haven't overtaxed him at all. Because he is not a sprinter he hasn't gone through the Guineas races and there are very few races for a spring three-year-old to run over this distance.”
15 horses have been nominated for the Zipping Classic however not many are expected to be left at the time of acceptances.
At this point, only Exceptionally, Precedence and Umatic are confirmed Zipping Classic starters with another 10 dual nominated for the Sandown Cup (3200m).
My Quest For Peace has already been confirmed as not contesting either with a view to Hong Kong meaning Rawnaq could find himself in a Group 2 lacking depth.
“He is in great order,” Hayes said.
“Healthy, well, hasn't missed an oat since the race and he is racing against horses who have raced hard all spring so I'd say he is the fresh horse on the scene.
“He is a well credentialed three-year-old. A Guineas runner into a Cox Plate normally runs well and I would say a Derby runner into a Zipping Classic should run well also.”
Hayes has nominated nine runners for Sandown on Saturday.
Notable entries include Fictional Account who will contest the Listed Sandown Cup, Mabsam in the Summoned Stakes (1500m) while Niconoise and Extra Zero are each nominated to line up in the Eclipse Stakes (1800m).