Lindsay Park team with a chance to spring an upset with a $41 chance at The Valley

A $41 chance could earn a shot at races like the Caulfield Guineas Prelude if he can produce an upset for the Hayes brothers at The Valley on Saturday.

Bookmakers have all but written him off but the Lindsay Park camp could have bigger plans for three-year-old Zestiman after Saturday’s assignment at The Valley.

Zestiman is a $41 chance with TAB in the early betting on the Brooks Running AU Plate (1200m) in a market headed by the impressive Sandown maiden winner Daggers at $2.60.

Another maiden winner, Zestiman’s stablemate Stolli Bolli has been well supported to stay unbeaten in Saturday’s $150,000 contest, firming from $15 to $8.

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Zestiman is at long odds despite the son of Zoustar running on well to finish on the heels of the placegetters over 1000m at The Valley on August 10.

Co-trainer Ben Hayes said that effort convinced the stable to step up Zestiman to 1200m to audition for possible assignments in Group company in the coming weeks.

“If he runs well on Saturday, there’s a race like the McNeil Stakes or the Caulfield Guineas Prelude,” Hayes, who trains Zestiman in partnership with his brothers Will and JD, said.

Zestiman could produce a surprise for Ben, Will and JD Hayes at The Valley on Saturday. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

Hayes said the stable decided to get the colt back to the races slightly earlier than most of his competitors but the plan has started to bring fruit as Zestiman built fitness.

“He’s been building,” he said.

“Every run he’s improving and he ran in some of the tougher races as a two-year-old so he can be competitive.

“We purposely got him up and going early but we’re hopeful with him.

“It was a much better run second-up and third-up now, he’s hard fit and ready to go.

“He worked great on Tuesday morning at Flemington.”

• WA sprinter back on track after puzzling Valley flop

Zestiman will be one of eight runners at The Valley for the Hayes brothers, who have made a bright start to the 2024/25 season.

The trio has already won 26 races, nine more than major rival Ciaron Maher, across Victoria in the first three weeks of the season, striking at an impressive 29.9 per cent.

3YO colt, Blue Stratum, makes it back-to-back victories & holds off the fast-finishing, Last Druid 😅@mcevoymitchell@beau_mertenspic.twitter.com/kP2S7nD9qx

— Racing.com (@Racing) August 10, 2024

Speedy filly Bold Bastille will headline the Hayes team at The Valley when she tackles older horses in the Listed Carlyon Stakes (1000m).

Top jockey Jamie Kah will ride Bold Bastille in the feature sprint, which will serve as a test to decide whether the three-year-old progresses to Group 1 company in the Moir Stakes on September 7.

Bold Bastille easily won on debut at The Valley on Cox Plate Day last year and pleased Hayes with her latest look at the unique circuit on Tuesday morning.

“She had a good look around but really grabbed the bit around the bend and towed Jamie through,” Hayes said.

“Jamie has been on her every time and she’s thrilled with the way she’s improving.”

Originally published as Lindsay Park team with a chance to spring an upset with a $41 chance at The Valley