Sepals earns chance at Group 1 Australian Guineas after dominant win in CS Hayes Stakes at Flemington

Sepals has emerged as an Australian Guineas contender after progressing from a Sale maiden win to an “impressive” Group 3 victory in the CS Hayes at Flemington.

Sepals charges to victory in the CS Hayes Stakes at Flemington. Picture: Pat Scala/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Sepals surged into Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) calculations with an “impressive win” in the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.

Champion jockey Blake Shinn rated Sepals, a Sale maiden winner only three starts back, perfectly off the speed and sprinted clear aboard the race-fit Cliff Brown-trained gelding the last 300m.

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“It was a dominant win,” Shinn said.

“He had a lovely draw in barrier one, he switched off beautifully and everything presented for him, but he had to capitalise and it was such an impressive win.

“I’m just rapt for Cliff, his whole team – Tony, Kahlia, Harvey – I’m just so rapt. Cliff’s not here today, but I’m sure he’ll get a big buzz out of that.”

Sepals finished fourth on debut at Yarra Glen last December and then won consecutive starts at Sale and Sandown to warrant a CS Hayes nomination.

Shinn endorsed Australian Guineas ambitions.

Wow! 🤯

Sepals smashes them in the C S Hayes Stakes!

Bring on the Guineas. 🔥@blake_shinnpic.twitter.com/AHLz5Kg7dq

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) February 15, 2025

“He’s got a great mind and when I asked him to extend in the gap at the 300 he really exploded well,” Shinn said.

“It’s exciting for Cliff’s team, especially heading towards a Guineas.

“On that performance I guess you’ve got to have a throw at the stumps and we can all dare to dream he might be a Guineas winner in a few more weeks’ time.”

Brown stable representative Tony Lane said Sepals deserved his chance “in the deep end”.

“The horse has done nothing wrong, he’d won his past two, so we threw him in the deep end to see if he could swim and he can definitely swim,” Lane said.

“He’s just gone ahead leaps and bounds the last month-and-a-half and I don’t think the ceiling’s even there yet.”

Ndola caught the eye from back in the field with a sustained gallop down the middle of the track.

Caulfield Guineas runner-up Feroce resumed with a solid third while Victoria Derby winner Goldrush Guru travelled outside the leader and stuck on boldly to hold fourth.

Originally published as Sepals earns chance at Group 1 Australian Guineas after dominant win in CS Hayes Stakes at Flemington