The Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and J D Hayes is looking forward to the upcoming spring campaign of Evaporate.
While technically still in winter, the Caulfield meeting on Saturday has a touch of spring about it, especially the Group 2 P B Lawrence Stakes (1400m).
The weight-for-age contest has brought together a strong field with nine of the 13 acceptors resuming from a spell.
Evaporate is one of those gallopers and heads into Saturday’s contest off the strength of two solid jump-outs.
In the first of those, Evaporate finished second to Zou Sensation at Werribee on July 17 before two weeks later defeating Caviar Heights over 800m at Flemington on August 3.
“The second one was on the course proper, and he went well,” J D Hayes said.
“He seems to have come back bigger and better which is pretty exciting for the spring as he has a pretty good CV to now, and hopefully he can improve on it.
“He’s been oh so close to a Group 1, so he doesn’t have to improve too far, we hope.”
Evaporate ran second in last year’s Toorak Handicap, third in the (now Group 1) Golden Eagle, third in the C F Orr Stakes and a narrow second in the All-Star Mile.
Hayes said a Group 1 was all that was missing from Evaporate’s record that has seen him win six times with nine minor placings from 23 starts and almost $3.2 million in prize money.
With the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield two weeks after Saturday’s race looking a hot contest, Hayes said the So You Think Stakes (1500m) at Sandown on September 5 could potentially be a better option.
“We’ll get through Saturday first and then work it from there,” Hayes said.
“The Memsie looks like a pretty hot edition, so he could go to Sandown the week after, but the Toorak Handicap (at Caulfield in October) does look appetising.
“He went oh so close last year and hopefully he can go one better this year if we decide to go that way.”
In form jockey Blake Shinn, who has ridden doubles in his two meetings back from injury, rides Evaporate on Saturday while Jamie Melham will be aboard stablemate Coeur Volante.
Melham is returning from a break having not ridden in Victoria since ‘Finals Day’ at Flemington in July, although she got her eye in riding for the Rest of the World Team in the Shergar Cup at Ascot last weekend.
Coeur Volante was twice successful over 1400m at Caulfield in June and July before finishing a last start fourth to Sass Appeal over 1400m at Flemington on August 1.
