Cox Plate bound Jet Away will kick off his Spring Carnival campaign in the Group 1 $400,000 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 30.
Jet Away likely to kick off his Spring campaign in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Trainer David Hayes said that Jet Away has overcome a tendon injury and is working along nicely to be ready to return to the races at the end of August and is looking forward to a successful Spring.
“He’s having two good gallops a week and we’ll kick him off in the Memsie,” Hayes told Racing Network.
The English import had to be put away after injuring his tendon when sixth as favourite behind Side Glance in the Group 1 $1m Longines Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington at last year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival.
“His leg is great – you wouldn’t know he had an issue there,” Hayes said.
“It would be terrific to have him back to where he was because he’s a very, very good galloper and he could win a big one during the spring if he finds his best form.”
Hayes has nominated the Group 1 $3m Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 25 as the likely target for Jet Away and is hoping that the rising eight year old can recapture the form that saw him run a close fourth to Fawkner in last year’s Group 1 $2.5m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield.
Jet Away was also a close up seventh to Happy Trails at his previous start in the Group 1 $500,000 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 5.
“The Cox Plate looks ideal for him because the pace will be on and he showed me in the Turnbull that he was right up to the class, he should’ve nearly beaten Happy Trails that day,” Hayes said.
“The way he was racing last Spring, I think he’d be a very good horse.”
The Cape Cross entire had six wins to his credit in England before arriving in Australia and has been to the winner’s stall twice under Hayes’ care.
An eye catching near last to first win in the 2013 $150,000 Yalumba Golden Mile (1600m) at Bendigo on March 16 preceded his other win for Lindsay Park in the Group 3 $150,000 Easter Cup (2000m) at Caulfield two weeks later.
In early Cox Plate market order with Ladbrokes.com.au, Jet Away is rated a $26 chance with the Gai Waterhouse’s Carlton House the early favourite at $9 with Sacred Falls from the Chris Waller stable at $11 alongside of top class Kiwi mare Silent Achiever.
In Caulfield Cup betting Jet Away is also marked at $26 while stable followers can get $41 for the Melbourne Cup.
