Cruiserweight appears to have turned a corner following his emphatic win at Caulfield.
The gelding’s success in the Sportsbet Jockey Watch Handicap over 1400m on Saturday was his third consecutive win, and his second since moving to the Lindsay Park stable of Ben, Will, and J D Hayes.
There are already emerging comparisons between Cruiserweight and the celebrated Lindsay Park champion Mr Brightside, with the Hayes brothers optimistic that Cruiserweight can compete at a superior level.
Sent off as the $3 favourite with Craig Williams in the irons, Cruiserweight triumphed by a length from Celtics ($8), with Beechworth ($13) a further 3-¾ lengths away in third.
J D Hayes was cautious about labelling Cruiserweight as the new Mr Brightside, who had compiled six wins in a row before experiencing defeats in his first two outings, before progressing to Group 1 company in his initial campaign for Lindsay Park.
“It was visually very impressive,” Hayes said of Cruiserweight.
“It’s great to get a win for Punt Road Syndicate, John O’Neill and Jason Steet, and we sourced this horse together from New Zealand and he has gone from strength to strength.
“It looks like we will have a bit of fun with him going forward.
“He’s very raw. He’s not the finished product. He got up on his toe beforehand, he got hot and sweaty, but there’s plenty of upside.
“I know it’s a three-year-old race in July, but the way that he did it, hopefully he can end up where we think he can end up.”
When asked about where Cruiserweight might eventually race, Hayes mentioned the gelding would compete through the spring season to build his ratings and prize money.
“What I think and what can happen are two different things,” Hayes stated.
“He will be the fit horse on the scene in the spring, and how far he goes, that’s another matter, but he is a bloody good horse.”
Williams, who had just achieved a race-to-race double by winning the Sportsbet Fast Form Handicap (1100m) on Markdel for his father Alan and brother Jason, expressed his satisfaction with Cruiserweight’s performance.
“They did say that he may be the new Mr Brightside and the way that he went he has scope for distance,” Williams said.
“He’s such a big, raw horse, and he’s got really good ability.
“They (the Hayes brothers) will get the best out of him and it will be exciting to see the path they take with him.”
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