2025 CS Hayes Stakes: Trainer Liam Howley to unleash Opening Address at Flemington

The start is certain but Kyneton trainer Liam Howley does not know where Opening Address’s talent will take him after Saturday’s Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes at Flemington.

The start is certain but Kyneton trainer Liam Howley does not know where Opening Address’s talent will take him after Saturday’s Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes at Flemington.

Howley bought Opening Address as a Derby prospect but the son of So You Think’s traits have provided plenty to consider during his five-start career.

Opening Address went to the spelling paddock a winner after claiming the Listed Batman Stakes (1800m) at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day.

That effort followed the gelding’s narrow second in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase on Cox Plate Day.

• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

Howley decided against tackling the Victoria Derby in the spring but the Australian, South Australian or Queensland Derby are all ahead of Opening Address if the trainer considers him capable or running out the 2400m or 2500m trips.

Howley said Opening Address had showed enough brilliance to warrant considering a rich New Zealand race next month should the three-year-old perform well in the CS Hayes Stakes.

“Everyone wants a Derby horse and that’s what he was bought for initially but he’s got such good tactical speed and can quicken off it,” Howley said.

“I’d like to think he’s very good at 2000(m) and if he’s still doing it well and going the right way, he gets to a Derby at some point.

“He’s got a big New Zealand influence in his owner group so we did entertain the idea of The Kiwi, the big slot race.

“If he’s there and he’s doing enough and if there’s interest from slot holders, we might have to look at it.

“He’d have to be winning Saturday and winning very well while showing he’s got that speed.”

Catch him if you can 😤

OPENING ADDRESS holds firm to take out the TAB Trophy for jockey @mcacajamez and trainer @lhowls.

🎥 @wwos | #MelbourneCup | #MelbCupCarnivalpic.twitter.com/lPvV9Hi0k4

— Victoria Racing Club (@FlemingtonVRC) November 5, 2024

• Black Caviar Lightning Stakes tips, runner-by-runner form analysis

Howley said Opening Address had progressed well during his summer break and trialled well against subsequent NZ Group 1 winner Here To Shock and Group 2 winner Too Darn Discreet.

The trainer said he always welcomed the chance to trial his horses against the best possible competition to assess their progress leading up to their first-up runs.

Howley saw the positive in Opening Address drawing awkwardly in barrier 14 for Saturday’s $200,000 race, adding the forced tactics would aid the lightly-raced galloper’s education.

“The one thing we can’t control is the barrier draw but he’s fit and well and (jockey) Ethan (Brown) knows him well,” Howley said.

“If you’re trying to find the positives, we looked to try and get him to settle in behind them with cover last time around but he was too brilliant out of the gates.

“He’s not going to have a choice on Saturday, he’s going to have to get cover, so it may well be the making of him from an educational point of view.

“Hopefully he’ll be able to settle in and conserve energy early and be nice and strong at them late if he gets the right run.”