They say weight can stop trains but Will Hayes is optimistic that it won’t stop classy sprinter Arkansaw Kid in Adelaide this weekend.
The G1 performer will lump 62kg in Saturday’s Matrice Stakes, in which he is marked 11 ratings points higher than his nearest rival.
The Listed contest represents a sharp drop in class for the son of Harry Angel, who has tackled G1 races at three of his last five starts.
In January, he ran second to Jigsaw in the G1 Railway Stakes at Ellerslie before finishing unplaced as favourite in the BCD Sprint at Te Rapa.
Hayes said he is capable of returning to his best form ahead of a potential second tilt at the G1 Goodwood in May.
“He’s obviously at the back end of a long preparation but he has been freshen up a lot,” Hayes said.
“We feel that the Matrice is a great place to start again with him because it’s set weights and penalties, even though he’s got a bit of weight.
“The Jigsaw form has stood up.
“If you put a line through his BCD Sprint run where the it was a nightmare watch with the two stablemates taking each other on, he couldn’t be more consistent.
“We’ll have a look at it (Matrice Stakes) and make a decision later in the week because there is also the Country Discovery back in Victoria next week.”
Lindsay Park will also lift their sights with last-start Pakenham winner Stung, who will tackle Saturday’s Listed Clare Lindop Stakes.
Hayes said the G1 Australasian Oaks is the aim for the daughter of Dundeel.
“We wanted to see how she resumed first-up over 1400m, knowing that it would be on the shorter side for her so to finish in that dead-heat, we thought it was a really good effort against older horses,” he said.
“Second-up to the mile is right up her alley so we’ll give her that chance to upgrade her pedigree in Listed grade.
“I think she is a Stakes grade filly in Adelaide.”
