Zipping distance is perfect for Storm

DAVID Hayes was thrilled with how the Melbourne Cup was playing out for Ventura Storm until early in the straight.

“We were out of seats with 400m to go and back in them 100m later. He just didn’t stay the distance,” Hayes said.

“He travelled well. He even looked a chance but when he got to 300m out that was it. He ran 2900m.”

Hayes is happy to back up the Moonee Valley Cup winner in the Zip- ping Classic tomorrow at Sandown Hillside after his tenth in the Melbourne Cup.

Before The Taj Mahal won the Zipping Classic, the three previous winners who had contested the Melbourne Cup had finished in a similar position to Ventura Storm.

They were 2014 winner Au Revoir who finished eighth, the 2015 winner Who Shot Thebarman 11th and 2016 winner Beautiful Romance seventh.

Hayes said punters only needed to look at Ventura Storm’s previous start where he defeated the Mackinnon Stakes winner Trap For Fools in the Moonee Valley Cup to show he had the form to win tomorrow.

Although the training operation of David and his son Ben and nephew Tom Dabernig received the award of trainer of the Flemington carnival after training one winner and several placings, Hayes is looking for a big day tomorrow.

“I’ve had Flemington carnivals where we were in the placings and had a frustrating time then come to Sandown and the wheel turns and we can have four or five winners.”

“I think with the team we’ve got in on Saturday we could have a really good day.”

Hayes hasn’t trained a Zipping Classic winner but has won the Sandown Guineas twice, which were Cayambe in 2005 and Petrology in 2014.

Hayes has two runners tomorrow, which are Long Leaf and Good ‘N’ Fast.

Hayes said Long Leaf’s last start sixth in the Coolmore Stakes at Flemington was an excellent run. “He got outsprinted but the horses which defeated him were superstars. He likes this track and 1600m should suit.”