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| Chief Editor: Elliot Dean |
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Guillotine Slices Through Stars |
Guillotine Slices Through Stars
By Elliot Dean
Guillotine surprised trainer David Hayes when he stepped up to defeat a class field in the Group 2 Dato Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
With Craig Williams in the saddle, the four-year-old settled off the pace and then stormed home to win by a long neck in what was an honestly run race. The star-filled field included seven Group 1 winners including Maldivian (NZ), Sir Slick (NZ), Casual Pass, Tears I Cry, Alamosa (NZ), Sirmione and Pompeii Ruler.
Guillotine's run sees him emerge from the shadow of his VRC Derby and Melbourne Cup winning half-brother Efficient (Zabeel) and has raised the sights of his trainer who now has a tilt at the Caulfield Cup in mind. A Cox Plate attempt is not possible since the four year old was not nominated.
Casual Pass ($21), who was also not nominated for the Cox Plate, finished second while Emirates Stakes winner Tears I Cry ($61) was a neck away third, a head in front of $1.90 favourite Maldivian.
Michael Eskander's Betstar cut Guillotine's Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cups quote from $51 for both races to $15 and $17 respectively.
Hayes said he thought Guillotine, who is unbeaten in two runs for him after scoring in Adelaide last start, ran today as a place chance.
"The stars in the race sort of scared me a bit," Hayes said.
Guillotine was held up for a run at the top of the straight but jockey Craig Williams sidestepped him into the clear and he charged home over the last 100 metres for an outstanding win.
"That is what we need," Hayes said. "He is so far down the ratings, but we think he is a Group horse and he proved that today."
Hayes said he was aiming Guillotine for the JRA Cup at Moonee Valley at the end of the month but would now revise plans.
"We might get a bit more ambitious," Hayes said. Guillotine joined the Hayes stable after David Payne trained him in Sydney with mixed success.
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