Ventura Storm On Cup Trail

Trainer David Hayes is confident his stable's recent acquisition Ventura Storm (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) can develop into a serious G1 Melbourne Cup candidate later in the year. The former Richard Hannon trainee had his first start for the Hayes/Dabernig training alliance when fifth to stable-mate Extra Zero (Aus) (Danzero {Aus}) over 2,000m at Flemington on Saturday. He had signed off for previous connections with a win in the G1 Premio Jockey Club at San Siro in Italy last October having earlier proven his ability over a longer trip when just edged out by Harbour Law (GB) (Lawman {Fr}) in the G1 Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster.

“He was bought for the Melbourne Cup, so that is his spring aim,” Hayes told Racing.com. Reflecting on the colt's first Australian start the trainer added, “I was just thrilled with his tactical speed on Saturday and I thought he was going to win halfway down the straight. He's a horse that just got beaten an inch in an English St Leger, then won the best weight-for-age race in Italy at his last start.” Hayes has already landed a Melbourne Cup when Jeune (GB) (Kalaglow {GB}) was successful back in 1994 and he intends to utilize a similar build up with Ventura Storm. “We'll do what we did with Jeune, that one run in May, then back off him and bring him back in September and build him up gradually for the Melbourne Cup. With natural improvement, he'll develop into those better class races and he'll be well-suited because he's fully qualified for Melbourne in November.”