Blue Diamond Stakes winner returns at Caulfield
Training trio Ben, JD and Will Hayes are looking forward to Little Brose’s upcoming springtime starts with more than one pathway and feature race options in mind.
The winner of the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Sandown last February, Little Brose is set to line up in the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) for three-year-old colts and geldings at Caulfield on Saturday.
Eleven horses were nominated for the event when nominations closed on Monday and with the race being a key springboard for spring campaigns, the deadline for entries has been extended by 24 hours.
Among those entered is the James Cummings-trained Cylinder who finished a length away in second placing to Little Brose when the pair last met in the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield in November.
“Little Brose is going very well and he’s going to kick off in the Vain,” Will said.
“He’s going to be ‘line and length’ and we’re going to be seeing how all the team are going from start to start.”
Little Brose won a jump out down the Flemington straight over 800-metres on August 7 where the colt by Per Incanto wasn’t tested to the line.
Hayes says that versatility with this horse is key and options anywhere between the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) through the Melbourne Cup Carnival or the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) in Sydney are possible.
“Everything is still on the table. The Coolmore’s still there, the Golden Rose is there, everything,” Hayes added.
“We’re very blessed to have such versatile horses that options are aplenty.”
Little Brose is rated a $26 chance in pre-nominations markets for each of the Flemington and Rosehill feature races.
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