Juveniles out to make immediate impression

Lindsay Park stablemates Dark Horse and Wide Awake are among a host of two-year-olds set to make their debuts in a race at Flemington and co-trainer Ben Hayes believes both have shown enough to figure.

Saturday’s #LovetheHorse (1100m) for juveniles has a field of 11 with Adelaide debut winner Unstoppabelle and The Valley placegetter Yulong Island the only two to have had a start.

Dark Horse is a half-brother to Churchill Dancer who won four times racing down the straight at Flemington during his career including the 2016 Bobbie Lewis Quality.

“Dark Horse has trialled up well and has shown above average ability at home,” Hayes said.

“So he’ll be very competitive.”

Wide Awake holds a nomination for next month’s Magic Millions Classic and the filly could press her claims for a trip to the Gold Coast with a good showing.

“She’s a really speedy filly,” Hayes said.

“She’s not overly big but she has really good gate speed and on what we’ve seen in her trials she has enough speed to be competitive in a race like that on Saturday.

Dark Horse was installed $5.50 in an early market on Wednesday while Wide Awake was at $9.50 and being first starters, Hayes said it was tough to compare them.

“They’re both first starters. I don’t really have a leaning. I think they’ll both run well,” he said.

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained filly Unstoppabelle, who won at Morphettville on debut on November 30, was the $4.20 favourite on Wednesday.