The Mark Kavanagh trained Sheer Talent is on an Australian Guineas path after the three year old returned to the winner’s stall in the Group 3 $150,000 C S Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington today.

Sheer Talent was the second leg of a winning double for Kavanagh and jockey Stephen Baster who has only recently returned to Melbourne racing after a stint in Singapore.

Sheer Talent was having his second run back from  a spell and after finishing behind Force Command and Hosting, was able to turn the tables and beat the Greg Eurell trained pair home.

Kavanagh will now give consideration of running in the Group 1 $500,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington in two weeks, especially if glamour three year old All Too Hard sticks to weight for age races.

“He wasn’t quite right in the Spring. We gave him one run and then he got crook, we tipped him out with the Guineas and the Derbys in mind,” Kavanagh said.

“We brought him back and it was a good run first up, but today was a little surprise. We though he would go very well, we thought he had that improvement in him he’d be better off next start.”

“The way the Guineas is sort of looking right now we will make up our minds in another week or so which way we go.”

Baster was quick to find winning form since returning from overseas and took Sheer Talent to the front half way down the straight and held off the Force Command and Hosting in the drive to the line.

“Michael is his number one rider but I’m happy to fill in especially when they are winning like this,” Baster said.

“Kav puts them out in great condition and the horse won well.”

The heavily supported Peter Snowden trained Albrecht was always at the tail of the field and struggled to make up any ground out wide on the track.