David Hayes puts Melbourne Cup on radar for Jaameh

DAVID Hayes assessed the win of Jaameh in the 2510m Handicap at Flemington on Saturday as outstanding and said the import was on a Melbourne Cup trail.

“I loved the way Regan (Bayliss) couldn’t pull him up after the race as he was still going strongly 200m after the post,” Hayes said.

Jaameh sat last in the small field but rounded them up early in the straight to win running away by 2¾ lengths.

“He was really suited by the speed as it was a truly run race,” Hayes said

Hayes said Jaameh profiled similarly to another English import Tawqeet, who won the Caulfield Cup.

Hayes said Jaameh would try and get into the Melbourne Cup by winning The Bart Cummings (2500m). The race carries an automatic Cup start for the winner.

Lindsay Park made it a winning double when they took out the last race with another import, Sikandarabad.

WEIR ON THE MONEY
DARREN Weir’s logic in why Choisborder could beat Gold Mag was proved correct after he relegated the odds-on favourite to second in the 1200m Benchmark 70.

“Gold Mag beat my horse Signature Street by four or five lengths at his last start and that’s about as far off that horse is from Choisborder,” Weir said.

Weir’s galloper was backed from $19 into $10 and defeated the $1.90 favourite Gold Mag by a length.

David Hayes said he was disappointed with the boom galloper running second but not with his effort. “He got lost down the straight and he’s looking for 1400m,” Hayes said.

Meantime, Weir said they had to wait until Theanswermyfriend was fit enough to go forward in his races after two starts in his stable and Saturday was the day.

Theanswermyfriend reverted to leading and showed he is a Flemington specialist when he defied a determined challenge from his stablemate Night’s Watch to win the 1400m handicap.

“We just had to wait until we got his fitness level right. I knew he’d be in the first four but he wasn’t necessarily going to lead.”

Weir said his other winner The Statesman, who won the Benchmark 78 over 2000m, still had improvement to come and the 2800m race on Melbourne Cup Day could suit.

SPANNER HEAD TURNS THE SCREWS
ARCHIE Alexander believed everything was in order for Spanner Head to win at Flemington, and he was spot on.

“We’ve given her everything for today. The blinkers back on, back to Flemington and Jordan (Childs) back on. We didn’t have much more to give in getting everything in her favour,” Alexander said.

He also said dropping back from 1600m last Saturday at Moonee Valley to 1400m on Saturday was also in her favour.

“Last week over a mile she wouldn’t settle. The drop back in distance and the quick back up suited as she wouldn’t pull and have a better turn of foot.”

Alexander pointed out that Spanner Head’s four wins had all been with Childs riding.

He suggested Spanner Head could be heading to stud.

BANDIPUR STRIKES AGAIN
DWAYNE Dunn said he was again the beneficiary of good placement by Godolphin and head trainer James Cummings after Bandipur relegated odds-on favourite to second placing in the Benchmark 1000m

“They are doing a great job with their placement putting them in races they can win,” Dunn said. “Today he was in the right spot in the run. Damian (Lane) tried to shut the gate on me but it worked out well as I gained a run on the inside.”

Reg Fleming, Cummings’ assistant trainer, said Bandipur had an enormous will to win.

DID YOU SEE/HEAR
Andrew Mallyon needed to be attended to by medics after his ride on Kilimanjaro after he suffered an asthma attack after his ride on Kilimanjaro. He tweeted later that it wasn’t the best situation to have has an asthma attack during the run. The tweet continued: “ Apologies if I let anyone down. I’d personally like to thank Clerk of the course Peter Pattison, Barrier and medical staff who were so quick to act. Thanks to them I’m okay.”

HORSES TO FOLLOW
O’Tauto — Shaping as nice three-year-old.

Night’s Watch — He’s in for a huge campaign.

SACK ME
Poetic Dream in races but not in trials.

EXCUSES
Illumicon — Tony McEvoy was furious with Luke Currie’s ride on Illumicon when he went from the inside to the outside down the Flemington straight saying those tactics killed the sprinter’s chance.

Serenade The Stars — Pulled up with the thumps

Haripour — No luck at all in the closing stages as he was held up for a run

Quote: “Ben’s ride won the race. That was the perfect ride,’’ Darren Weir after Ben Allen’s winning ride on The Statesman.