Short course autumn for Cape Of Good Hope

Trainer David Hayes plans to keep Caulfield Stakes winner Cape Of Good Hope to shorter distances.

Lindsay Park senior trainer David Hayes plans to turn the imported Cape Of Good Hope into a sprinter during the autumn to maximise his future as a stallion.

The former Aidan O’Brien-trained horse won the Group One Caulfield Stakes (2000m) last month on debut for his new stable.

He went on to run 10th behind Lys Gracieux in the Cox Plate (2040m) on October 26 before finishing last behind Magic Wand in the Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on November 9.

Cape Of Good Hope was later found to be lame in the off foreleg following that race.

Hayes, who trains in partnership with son Ben and nephew Tom Dabernig, says he will set Cape Of Good Hope for the Group One Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 22 and possibly The Doncaster Mile at Randwick.

“He’ll be trained for sprinting from a stallion angle and to see if we can make him sprint,” Hayes said.

“He’ll bet set for the Futurity and maybe the Doncaster. It’s a bit different, but this way I can give him a bit of a longer break.

“He came out of his last run and was full of ulcers. All the travelling to America and back and then out here, I think it got the better of him in the end so I reckon he can improve.”

Cape Of Good Hope is a brother to Highland Reel, third behind Winx in the 2015 Cox Plate.

Despite being bred in Ireland, Cape Of Good Hope has a strong Australian family.

His dam Hveger is a sister to Caulfield Cup winner Elvstroem and a half-sister to Haradasun while also being related to Starspangledbanner, who won the Caulfield Guineas along with the Golden Jubilee Stakes and July Cup in England.