Next month’s Tramway Stakes is the more likely next-up option for Lindsay Park’s Epsom Handicap hopeful Dibayani over a run against Winx in this Saturday’s 2016 Warwick Stakes.
Trainer David Hayes is wary to run Dibayani against Winx in the 2016 Warwick Stakes at Randwick this Saturday. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.
Chris Waller’s six-time Group 1 winning daughter of Street Cry makes her big return to racing in the $250,000 Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick that currently has just eight entries.
The dominance of the reigning Cox Plate champion in the line-up will see a diminutive Warwick Stakes field take to the track on the weekend.
Co-trainer David Hayes confirmed Dibayani, rated a $10 chance in all-in Warwick Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au led by Winx ($1.40), was unlikely to accept for the weight-for-age clash.
“We nominated just in case anything happened and Winx doesn’t accept,” Hayes told Racing Victoria.
A seven-year-old son of Shamardal, Dibayani was last seen running second to Sooboog at Flemington on August 6 in the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m).
That was his first run since a ninth to Lucia Valentina, who is second favourite at $4.80 to win the Warwick Stakes in an upset this weekend, in Randwick’s Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) back in early April.
Earlier in the autumn Dibayani ran his heart out to finish runner-up to Winx in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m), also held at Randwick, and Hayes isn’t keen to be running for second behind her again this weekend.
“We’ve run second to her before and we don’t need to do it again,” he said.
Instead he and co-trainers Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig will save the veteran import for a September 3 run at the track in the $175,000 Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m).
Dibayani’s main aim this Sydney Spring Racing Carnival is the $1 million Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) on October 1, a race Hayes is yet to prepare the winner of.
“He is still on target for the Epsom but I think we will just stick to our original plan and head to the Tramway Stakes on September 3,” the Lindsay Park horseman said.
As for Winx’s lead-up to the Warwick Stakes, it was revealed by Waller through the week she had undergone minor surgery to remove a bone chip post her Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) victory in the autumn.
Despite keeping the surgery report under wraps until now, Waller said it was so small an issue he didn’t think it necessary to inform the public and that all was 100% with the mare ahead of her first-up run of the season.
“The vet’s report was that it was `long-standing and non-clinical and there were no signs of heat, lameness or pain’,” the master trainer said.
“We are just looking after her longevity.”
Back Dibayani in his return next month and access this weekend’s top Sydney racing odds including those on Winx to win the Warwick Stakes head online now to our preferred sportsbook Ladbrokes.com.au!
