Racing
Alenquer primed for Zipping tilt
After four runs back following a long lay-off, Alenquer is ready to put his best foot forward at Caulfield.
The Lindsay Park training team of Ben, Will and J D Hayes are hoping a step up in trip will see Alenquer break through for his maiden victory in Australia.
French-bred Alenquer came to Australia at the end of 2022 to join the stable of Mike Moroney having been a Group 1 winner in Ireland.
Alenquer was aimed at the 2023 Melbourne Cup but suffered a tendon injury and was away from the racetrack for almost two years.
After Moroney's death earlier this year, Alenquer was transferred into the care of the Lindsay Park stable and on Saturday will be lining up for his fifth start for the Hayes brothers.
A pleasing second at Moonee Valley over 2040m was followed by a last start seventh behind Via Sistina in the Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on the final day of Melbourne Cup week.
He's getting out to a trip for the first time in a long time," Ben Hayes said.
"We ran him in a very hard race last start behind probably the best horse in Australia at the moment, Via Sistina, and I thought he held himself well.
"He did everything correct that day and the 2400 (metres) will be, I think, what he's looking for now.
"He's coming back from a tendon injury. He's been slowly building and his fitness is improving, and I think it's a race he can be competitive in."
With the amount of time off due to his tendon problem, Alenquer has taken time to be near his peak, but after a solid grounding at the trials and with two solid 2000m efforts under him he should be near peak fitness for Saturday's contest.
And Hayes said any rain would be a bonus for Alenquer on Saturday.
"He's fifth up, he's got good fitness on his base," Hayes said.
"He's had a long, slow build-up and I think it's a race that we hope to see the best of him.
"He showed glimpses with his second at The Valley and obviously it was a heavy track and much harder competition in the Champion Stakes.
"It had been a long time since he had seen a heavy track like that, but looking at the weather, it could be good something he's running on again."
The Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m) could be on Alenquer's agenda following Saturday's outing if the gelding performs well.
"That's the thinking if he pulls up well," Hayes said.
"He's a happy horse. That's a good thing about him that he actually enjoys being in work and you know he is enjoying it.
"And with his problems, he'll be one of those horses that we probably keep in work for a year."
The Lindsay Park stable is yet to have a winner in the Zipping Classic since the conditions were changed in 1998, when the race became the Sandown Classic having been run firstly as the Williamstown Cup and then the Sandown Cup.
Alenquer's former trainer Moroney, won successive Zipping Classic's, the last at Sandown and the first at Caulfield, both with Sound in 2020 and 2021.
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