Early spring look for Lindsay Park team

Winter may not have officially struck but the Lindsay Park team already has a sense of spring in the air.

Trainers David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig have already started mapping the spring programs of some of their big names.

Back in work already are rising three-year-olds Catchy, Formality and Tulip along with last year’s Caulfield Guineas runner-up Seaburge and Newmarket Handicap winner Redkirk Warrior.

Also coming back this week will be Caulfield Guineas hopes Muraahib and Eshitraak.

Senior trainer David Hayes said the past week was a little more exciting at the Euroa property.

“They’ve just been on the water walker but there was a bit of a buzz,” Hayes said.

“I like to give them a 10 or 11 week build up to their first run and I’d rather have them in work than spelling longer because with a rushed prep they hit form early and then lose it.”

Hayes said Blue Diamond winner Catchy had an eight-week break after flopping on the wet track in the Golden Slipper, describing her as big and rangy and very hairy.

He said Catchy would be aimed at the Thousand Guineas and joined by either Formality or Tulip, one of whom would head to the Flight Stakes in Sydney.

“We’ve got a good group coming through and from August 1 there’ll be a good Lindsay Park horse running,” he said.

Hayes says he wouldn’t swap imports Harlem and Ventura Storm for any other potential Cup horses.

He was excited by the debut fifth of Ventura Storm at Flemington on May 20.

“He carried the grandstand but lengthened like a good horse,” Hayes said.

“We ran him so he could get a feel for Australian racing and for me to see how he behaved on race day.

“It’s what we did with At Talaq and Jeune, gave them a race in May and then back off.”

Harlem has had three Australian starts.

After a promising first-up third in the Blamey Stakes at Flemington, Harlem headed to Sydney where he was thwarted by wet tracks.

“The Sydney Cup was an afterthought but Chad Schofield said he travelled into the race like the winner but didn’t handle the wet,” Hayes said.