Que Tempesta in Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup bid
The colours Que Tempesta carries are no stranger to Australian shores and the Lindsay Park team would love to win another feature race with them.
Redkirk Warrior and Harlem carried the colours of Edmund Lee to multiple Group 1 wins in Australia for Lindsay Park and Ben, Will and J D Hayes would like to keep the family tradition going.
Que Tempesta is the only horse from the Lindsay Park team to be entered for the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup after Apulia and Aztec State fell by the wayside.
Ben Hayes knows what it is like to win the Caulfield Cup, sharing the honours with his father David and cousin Tom Dabernig in 2017 when Boom Time was successful.
Hayes said Que Tempesta gives the stable their best Caulfield Cup winning chance since.
“He’d be our best chance we’ve had in a while, and I just hope he gets there,” Hayes said.
“He’s moving well and we’re very happy, he’s a good horse, a good Caulfield Cup chance.
“I’d love to get there, but it all depends on how he runs Saturday.
“Hopefully he runs a good second, beaten an inch but if he gets a (weight) penalty (for winning) I don’t think it will be the end of the world.
“He’s massive, a big horse, he’ll carry weight.”
An Irish-bred galloper that raced in Italy before his purchase by Lee, Que Tempesta is due to have his second Australian start on Saturday in the Group 3 MRC Foundation Cup (2000m).
Victory provides the winner a ballot exemption into the Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 19, although Que Tempesta is currently number 22 in the Order of Entry and has 53kg.
Que Tempesta ran on strongly at his Australian debut, finishing less than a length from his stablemate Rise At Dawn in fifth place in the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) on August 31.
“His run in the Heatherlie was the shortest trip he’s ever run first-up,” Hayes said.
“There’s a bit of rain about, so having a track with a bit more give and going up to 2000 metres will be ideal.
“He’s trained on beautifully.”
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