Hayes Hopes To Regroup With Cup Horses
Story By Chris Scholtz
Monday, 20 October 2008:  | | Kibbutz |
Kibbutz is off to the beach for 10 days while Zagreb will be subject to some delicate foot work in a bid to get him into the final field for the $5 million Melbourne Cup on November 4.
Hayes has dropped Caulfield Cup failure Guillotine from his Cup team as the grey pulled up lame and is going for a spell.
Guillotine suffered ligament and joint damage and may require arthroscopic surgery. He will spend at least three months in the paddock.
Guillotine's dismal result was the final nail for Hayes on Saturday after two of his three Caulfield Cup acceptors had to be scratched due to fitness concerns.
Kibbutz was scratched on Friday because of a foot abscess while Zagreb was a controversial late scratching on Saturday after he was found to be lame after being fitted with his race plates.
Just like his horses, Hayes is now walking on eggshells in the hope of being represented in this year's Melbourne Cup by at last one of his Caulfield Cup casualties.
The good news for Hayes is Zagreb was walking freely on Sunday with the trainer now hoping he will be fit to start in Saturday's 273,000 Cathay Pacific Airways Cup (2500m) at Moonee Valley.
He said his plans would depend on how much work he can give Zagreb this week under saddle.
Victoria Derby winner Kibbutz has been sent to Warrnambool where he will be given beach work and swimming for the next 10 days in a bid to get him over his feet problems.
If he responds he will return to Flemington next week with the aim of starting him in the $750,000 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) on Saturday week as a much needed lead-up to a Melbourne Cup start.
Kibbutz, Zagreb and Guilltotine were among the five horses Hayes nominated last week for the $US5 million Japan Cup in Tokyo on November 30.
His other entries are Anamato and Largo Lad and make up the only Australian nominations for the 2400m event.
Hayes will be without a starter in Saturday' $3 million W.S. Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.
His last possible runner was the three-year-old Von Costa De Hero but he will drop back to 1200m for the $500,000 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on Saturday week.
|
