The Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and J D Hayes saw a glimpse of the potential Arkansaw Kid had before he was gelded.
Arkansaw Kid won two of his 13 starts as a colt and resumed at Caulfield last month to win at his first outing as a gelding.
The four-year-old runs for the second time since the operation in the Listed Chautauqua Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday in a bid to put his name out as a potential contender for The Everest (1200m) at Moonee Valley on October 19.
Ben Hayes said Arkansaw Kid was an exciting sprinter, as good as any that has passed through the stable since he has been in an official capacity.
“It was a big call to geld him, but we really felt he wasn’t being 100 per cent genuine when he was going to the races and being a bit of a thinker,” Hayes said.
“At home he’s an electric worker and if he starts converting that to the sprint trips, he’s a genuine horse that Everest slot holders should be looking at.
“We’ve had a few good sprinters in my time, and he’s as good as them.
“He’s very sharp, he comes up the hill (at Euroa) like Vega Magic and those types of horses.
“He’s been our best horse for The Everest since Vega.”
Vega Magic was a multiple Group 1 winner for Lindsay Park, dating back to 2017 when Hayes joined the training ticket with his father David and cousin Tom Dabernig.
Hayes explained he and his brothers elected to scratch Arkansaw Kid from the Vale Black Caviar (1100m) at Caulfield last week as Saturday’s race fitted in better for an upcoming program.
“We just thought this week was a better option for him and if he was to win at The Valley, we could consider the (Group 1) Manikato Stakes which is in three weeks’ time,” Hayes said.
“It’s a great lead up and there is also the option if the Manikato was looking ridiculously strong, we could wait and run him down the straight in the Bobbie Lewis Stakes at Flemington.
“It’s all about placement and he gets in a lot better in the weights on Saturday. He had 58 (kg) last week and he’s got 55 this week, so it was pretty much a no-brainer for us.”
