Keen Array has Hayes hopeful of spring back
DAVID Hayes is hoping Keen Array can kick off his spring campaign in similar vein to how he ran last spring and not how he ran last autumn.
“He had a bad preparation last time but go back to last spring and his form was outstanding. We’re hoping he’s a spring horse,” Hayes said.
Hayes will know more after Keen Array starts in the Carlyon Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley today.
“He’s been working well and all the signs are there that he’s in for a good preparation,” he said. “He’s still big in condition and has nice improvement to come. He should run a competitive race.”
Last spring Keen Array emerged as one of the best three-year-old sprinters in work, winning two races and finishing second in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes Stakes behind Japonisme
In three starts earlier this year, he was well beaten in the Oakleigh Plate and the Newmarket Handicap before he finished third in a three-yearold sprint at Moonee Valley.
Hayes believes Keen Array can emerge as “a 1400m to a 1600m horse this preparation” and he will aim him for the Toorak Handicap.
“He’s out of a Zabeel mare and I think that will come through this time in,” he said.
Keen Array is a $7.50 chance while Heatherly is the $3.20 favourite with UBET.
Hayes said his $2 favourite Pilote D’Essai in the seventh had trained on strongly since his first-up second at Flemington behind Ulmann recently.
“He’ll handle a wet track. He needs to win races to get his ratings up,” he said.
He said filly Zamzam was being set for the Thousand Guineas and was “ready to go”.