Lindsay Park’s training team—Ben, Will and J D Hayes—are setting their sights on another major Victorian slot race, with Here To Shock again shaping as their headline act.
Before that goal, he will contest Saturday’s Listed Testa Rossa Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, a run designed to prepare him for the $1 million The Supernova (1400m) at Pakenham.
Here To Shock won last year’s inaugural Supernova in dominant fashion, and Ben Hayes confirmed the gelding is being targeted toward the race once again.
Lindsay Park holds a slot in the event, ensuring the stable controls their own destiny.
The gelding’s most recent race appearance came in the Group 3 Moonga Stakes (1400m), where he finished sixth, but he sharpened up recently with an 800m jump-out at Flemington.
“This should be a nice prep run,” Hayes said.
“We purposely freshened him to target this with the Supernova in mind, and then we might consider going over and trying to go back-to-back in the Group 1 over in New Zealand.
“It’s the kind of race he can be very competitive in.”
Following his Supernova victory last year, Here To Shock travelled to New Zealand and secured the Group 1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa.
The Hayes operation has a strong history of striking when travelling internationally, including Long Leaf’s Karaka Million 3YO Classic win and Conqueror’s second placing behind Probabeel.
This season they will also roll the dice with Torture, winner of the Debutant Stakes, in the Karaka Million 2YO Classic.
Run Harry Run will accompany Here To Shock in Saturday’s Testa Rossa after claiming the Ararat Bowl on November 9.
Hayes said the team waited for suitable conditions before unleashing him second-up.
“But when we got the heavy track, we decided to be patient and he came out and won the Ararat Bowl, so it was good to get him back in the winner’s stall,” Hayes said.
“He actually has pretty good form behind Globe, and he’s been racing very consistently.
“It’s obviously a big step up in class to what he’s been running in, but he’ll run a nice competitive race again and he’s in great order.”
For those betting on the Testa Rossa, you can compare odds via the best Australian betting sites.