Hayes eager for luck to turn for mare Madiyya
Ben Hayes has discovered that opportunities often don't come easily for Madiyya throughout her career.
As a result, the narrow defeats she has experienced in her last two races have been particularly frustrating.
The daughter of Super Seth has been narrowly beaten in her past two starts, each time finding herself unable to find clear running until around the 250-metre mark, which was about 50 metres too late.
Madiyya, who is approaching her fifth birthday, has never had a preparation extend beyond four races. However, Hayes has witnessed enough this time around to feel she can rebound in Saturday's $130,000 Sportsbet Feed BM78 Handicap (1700m) at Caulfield.
"That's been her problem as a horse, she's never really handled her training," Hayes stated.
"But this prep she's actually held weight and doing really well."
"She's an older mare now and hopefully we can get the result, because when she gets it all together she's got the ability."
The two close calls at Flemington followed a fourth-place finish first-up, also at Flemington, where she finished just over 1-3/4 lengths behind Capper Thirtynine.
Across her 10-race career, Madiyya has not finished worse than fifth, accumulating three wins, two second placings, and two thirds.
She is set to jump from barrier 11 in the 16-horse field on Saturday, with Jamie Mott, a jockey in contention for the metro jockeys' premiership, in the saddle.
Madiyya has secured victories in both of her previous starts at Caulfield. Saturday's race represents the mare's first challenge beyond 1600 metres, a step Hayes believes she is prepared for, running in the distinctive Trelawney Stud colours.
"I think (benchmark) 78, over 1700 should be ideal for her and she's building fourth-up," commented Hayes, who trains in partnership with brothers Will and JD.
Madiyya, a $4.80 favourite, will be joined by stablemate Oriental Smoke, priced at $51. Oriental Smoke is making his fourth start since returning from a Hong Kong stint, with Jackson Radley to ride.
Consider the leading online bookmakers for the best racing odds on this event.
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