Hayasugi impresses in trial return
Hayasugi (Royal Meeting) did not win one of the star-studded trials at Cranbourne on Monday, but her trainer Clinton McDonald had as big a smile as anyone after the first of the 800-metre trials.
The Blue Diamond (Gr 1, 1200m) winner hinted she was in for a stellar spring campaign with an eye-catching performance, despite finishing third.
The daughter of the Lovatsville-based sire Royal Meeting (Invincible Spirit) settled back in the field but surged home under little urging from Jamie Kah to be nosed out of second by The Astrologist (Zoustar), 2.5 lengths behind Pharari (American Pharoah).
It was Hayasugi’s final hit-out before the $750,000 A J Moir Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) at The Valley on Saturday week and McDonald said it was just what he wanted to see.
“She’s coming along really well, she’s come through the trial well and she’s exactly where we want her,” the Cranbourne trainer said.
The Moir will be Hayasugi’s first start since her nightmare run in the Golden Slipper, when she bungled the start and almost ran through the inside running rail.
She won her previous three starts, culminating with the Blue Diamond Stakes, where she defeated subsequent Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) into second.
After the Moir Stakes, Hayasugi will head to the Manikato Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) on September 27 after which a decision on the remainder of her campaign will be made.
“They’re two nice races, so we’ll get through them and if we’re lucky enough to pick up one we’ll be over the moon, then we’ve got a couple of options which way we can go with her,” McDonald said.
“We’ll get through the first two races and then we can work out whether we want to go to a Thousand Guineas or whether we keep her to the sprint trips.”