Lindsay Park chase second Flemington Cup
The Lindsay Park team enjoy nothing more than winning a Cups race at Flemington.
Think the Melbourne Cup, or an Australian Cup with the excellent prize money on board.
While the Deane Lester Flemington Cup (2800m) on Saturday may not have the same notoriety as those Group 1 contests, it still has a trophy that would look good on the Lindsay Park mantlepiece.
Ben, Will and J D Hayes will be represented by Port Guillaume as Will looks to join his brothers as a winner of the Flemington Cup after Ben and J D scored with Mimi's Award 12 months ago.
It will be Port Guillaume's second shot at the Flemington Cup having finished fifth behind his stablemate 12 months ago.
Port Guillaume is arguably going better this time around, although the gelding was a winner at Flemington in June last year before two unplaced performances at headquarters.
This time around though, Port Guillaume has collected the feature Australian Hurdle at Sandown in early June before running third behind Saturday rivals Born A King and Taramansour over 2540m at Flemington on June 22.
Since that outing, Port Guillaume has taken part in a steeplechase school at Pakenham, finishing second, behind Stern Idol last week.
While Stern Idol was in another league, Port Guillaume showed he was ticking over nicely.
Ben Hayes said he was hoping for the remainder of the week to remain dry so Port Guillaume will get some improving ground on Saturday after Melbourne was drenched by rain on Monday.
"He's OK in the wet, but better with some firmer footing," Hayes said.
"He's come out of his (hurdle) win well and I thought his run on the flat last time was good. He loomed up and just got outsprinted a bit.
"He's competitive at a high level on the flat and when he gets over the jumps, he goes really well.
"The ownership group have had a great experience.
"They bought him as a jumper. He's won a flat race at Flemington, he's won a couple of jumps races and he's been a very good ride for them.
"He would be a genuine top three, top four chance, if he gets his preferred conditions, but it will also be a good tick over run for the big jumps race."
After Saturday's contest, win, lose or draw, Lindsay Park is sending Port Guillaume back over jumps to contest the Grand National Hurdle (4200m) at Sandown on August 4.
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