Three year old Petrology could be given the chance to take on the older horses at Caulfield on Saturday if trainer David Hayes elects to run him in the Group 1 $400,000 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m).
Petrology is a chance to take on the older horses in the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Sarah Ebbett.
Hayes, who trains in partnership with Tom Dabernig, will also nominated Petrology in the Group 2 $200,000 Autumn Stakes (1400m) for the three year olds but is leaning towards tackling weight for age for the first time with the Fastnet Rock colt.
“I’m leaning to the C.F. Orr. It’s a Group 1 and I’m really happy with how he’s done since his first-up run,” Hayes told Racing Network.
Hayes was pleased with Petrology’s first up run when second to the Lee and Anthony Freedman trained Java in the Group 3 $150,000 Manfred Stakes (1300m) at Sandown on January 26.
The Group 1 $500,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 7 is high up on the agenda for Petrology and he is also listed in the nominations for the Group 1 $1m Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington the following week.
Petrology took a long time to find any sort of form in the early part of the 2014 Spring Carnival but once the Dabernig – Hayes team stepped the three year old up in distance he found another lease of life and won the Listed $150,000 TCL 4K UHD TV Stakes over 1800m at Flemington on November 6 before going on to win the Group 2 $300,000 Sportingbet Sandown Guineas (1600m) at Sandown on November 15.
The C.F. Orr Stakes is starting to attract plenty of quality nominations including the Peter Moody trained Dissident, last Spring’s Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes winner Happy Trails and Chris Waller’s Group 1 Doomben Cup winner Beaten Up.
Petrology in well in contention for the Australian Guineas and is on the third line of betting with Ladbrokes.com.au at $10 behind the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas winner Shooting To Win at $7 and the undefeated Lucky Liberty at $9.
Shooting To Win is set to resume in the Group 2 $200,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on February 21 while the Henry Dwyer trained Lucky Liberty is working his way up through the classes with three wins from three starts including an impressive last start win when caught wide in the $80,000 Flemington Rose Garden BenchMark 78 Handicap (1420m) at Flemington on January 31.
