A slick piece of trackwork on Monday morning has JD Hayes confident Gentleman Roy is where he needs to be to lock away his All-Star Mile spot at Flemington this Saturday.
The tenacious on-pacer, who was beaten on protest in the Group 1 C F Orr Stakes, will contest the $300,000 Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m).
It was originally planned that he would contest last Saturday’s Futurity Stakes (1400m) until a foot abscess forced a change of plan and Hayes said his workout with So Si Bon on Monday morning was proof that he was over that.
“Unfortunately, he had a little bit of a foot (problem), that’s why he didn’t take his place on Saturday, but he’s gotten over that and now he’s going to go the Blamey,” Hayes, who trains in partnership with brother Ben, told RSN927.
“His trackwork this morning was really, really good. He worked with a good work partner in So Si Bon and they went through their paces really well and we’re really confident now with where we’ve got him going to the mile.”
Gentleman Roy was one of 20 nominations for the Blamey Stakes with Group 1-winning milers Tuvalu and Callsign Mav among his potential rivals, along with Champions Stakes placegetter Hesashocka, Bankers Choice, Nonconformist and his Monday morning track partner.
The Blamey Stakes winner is exempt from the ballot in the 2023 All-Star Mile, in which the first 10 positions in the field are taken up by the horses who accumulate the most votes during the voting period, which closed on Sunday night.
When voting went in-camera for the final 24 hours of voting from 10pm Saturday, Gentleman Roy was in 10th position on 2404 votes, just 27 votes clear of 11th-placed Sheeza Belter.
Stablemate Mr Brightside was safely inside the Top 10, sitting fourth with 8557 votes, and Hayes was thrilled with the Doncaster Mile winner’s performance in the Futurity Stakes, in which he finished a 1-1/4-length second to Alligator Blood.
“He’s gone home, ate up and bounced out of the run and we’re very confident with where we’re sitting with Mr Brightside,” Hayes said.