The Lindsay Park trio of Ben, Will and JD Hayes scored a quinella in last year’s inaugural The Supernova, and they are out to repeat the feat on Saturday.
Here To Shock led home Arkansaw Kid in the 2023 edition of the $1 million Pakenham slot race, and this year the stable will saddle Roll On High, who finished fifth last year when trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman.
Ben Hayes said the team is eager to defend their title, even with the presence of Joe Pride’s star Private Eye.
“We’re excited,” Hayes said.
“It’s not often you get to have three horses in a big race like this, especially a $1 million race like The Supernova and I think they are three genuine chances.
“We’ve clashed with Private Eye on a number of times, and he’s had our measure, but we’re in form now and when we’ve met Private Eye before, he was the fit horse.”
Here To Shock returned from a New Zealand Group 1 victory and broke through again at Caulfield on November 29.
“His win the other day was up there with some of his better wins, I thought,” Hayes said.
“It was a great ride by Mark (Zahra), and he was strong through the line.
“It was the blowout he needed before we go back and hopefully defend our title and the way he came through the race, we’re very happy with him.”
Arkansaw Kid heads in after finishing second in The Meteorite and has been freshened since a Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes run.
“He ran into one last start that is in very good form and outsprinted us around Cranbourne,” Hayes said.
Roll On High has built steadily this preparation and won a Bendigo trial on December 1.
“Dropping back to 1400 metres, rock hard fit … I think she’s a genuine top four chance,” Hayes said.