Lindsay Park will have a three-pronged attack on the Australian Guineas as it looks to break a losing streak in the Group One race.
Amphitrite, Hawkshot and Long Leaf will represent the stable in the 1600m-race for three-year-olds at Flemington on Saturday.
Senior trainer David Hayes‘ only win in the feature came with the filly Miss Finland in 2007.
His father Colin won the race three times with Military Plume (1985), King’s High (1989) and Zabeel (1990).
Hayes said stable newcomer, Thousand Guineas winner Amphitrite, who was last week named as one of the top 10 vote getters for the All-Star Mile on March 16, had improved following her win in The Vanity at Flemington on February 16.
That was her first start for Lindsay Park which now consists of Hayes, his son Ben and nephew Tom Dabernig, after she arrived from the stable of the disqualified Darren Weir.
“We’ve learned a little more about her but we haven’t changed much,” Hayes said.
“We’ve kept her nice and fresh and happy and I think she’s improved off that win as you’d imagine, a staying filly going up in distance.”
Like Amphitrite, Hawkshot joined the stable from Weir and was impressive winning his first start for the team in the Autumn Stakes at Caulfield on February 9.
Hawkshot led throughout and Hayes said he would not be surprised if he did the same on Saturday, although he would like to see him relax.
“He’s a bit wayward but a good horse,” Hayes said.
“When they win by four (lengths), you don’t go changing anything.”
Hayes said the stable had followed a similar routine with Long Leaf to that which led to his win in the 3YO Karaka Classic in New Zealand last month and had kept him fresh.
“He won a million dollar race last start and he shouldn’t be forgotten about,” Hayes said.
“He went back to the farm and his gallop was brilliant on Thursday.
“We’ve given him a similar preparation as to what we did going into the race at Ellerslie. It worked there, so hopefully he’ll run well here.”
Long Leaf ($51) is the outsider of the trio with Amphitrite ($5) and Hawkshot ($6) well fancied behind $4.80 favourite Mystic Journey.
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