Earlier, the McNeil Stakes (Race 6) over 1200m presents as an extremely open affair for three-year-olds with a number of horses vying for favouritism.
Highland Beat, a colt from the Hayes-Dabernig camp, is a better horse than his 2-from-10 record suggests and rattled home late on to get within half a length of the highly touted Russian Revolution in the Vain Stakes a fortnight ago.
Gold Symphony was able to complete the Vain/McNeil double 12 months ago, so that race provides an obvious reference point for punters.
Mick Price’s Hardham was beaten for speed early on that occasion but also worked home nicely over the concluding stages and a repeat of that effort would surely leave him right in the mix.
With the Caulfield Guineas the ultimate goal for many of these, Hayes was expecting VRC Sires winnerSeaburge to prove competitive having come through a jumpout last Friday.
The stable will also saddle-up Blue Tycoon, who won the Phil Sly Memorial back in May and whose only defeat thus far was at the hands of the useful Samara Dancer.
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