Helmet fails to fire in Hayes Stakes

Trainer Peter Snowden will have to go back to the drawing board with Dubai bound Helmet after the three year old missed a place in the Group 3 $150,000 C S Hayes Stakes (1410m) at Flemington today.

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy positioned the $1.65 favourite Helmet just behind the pace and was in the box seat behind the leader Decircles coming to the home turn.

McEvoy started to work Helmet into the clear at the 350m mark but the big three year old failed to respond to his riding and he struggled to the line to wind up in fifth spot at first run since October last year.

While Helmet was floundering to his inside, Craig Williams was winding up That’s The One ($7.50) down the middle of the track to collar in the leaders and score a convincing one length win.

Decircles ($7.50) with Damien Oliver set the early pace and battled on gamely to hold on for second in front of dead heaters Instinction and Highly Recommended.

Winning trainer Cindy Alderson said that That’s The One, who was racing with winkers for the first time, will now head towards the Group 1 $750,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 3.

“It was a really strong effort today. Craig was very aggressive today. He knew he had the horse underneath him and he was fit enough and he took it to them and he hung on well at the end,” Anderson said.

That’s The One raced with the winkers on today after Williams suggested that they might help the big striding three year old negotiate the home turn better.

Williams was full of praise for the That’s The One and said that he expects that there is still a bit more improvement in the horse.

 

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.