Encouraged by his trackwork, David Hayes has thrown Golden Slipper runner-up Von Costa De Hero into Friday night's Group Two Carlyon Stakes at Moonee Valley.The leading trainer said the intention was to run the Encosta De Lago colt in the race named after his late father, the CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Group Three level at Flemington on Saturday week."But we just felt he's working so sharply and so well he seems to be back to his best two-year-old form, so we thought we might have a crack (at th
Encouraged by his trackwork, David Hayes has thrown Golden Slipper runner-up Von Costa De Hero into Friday night's Group Two Carlyon Stakes at Moonee Valley.
The leading trainer said the intention was to run the Encosta De Lago colt in the race named after his late father, the CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Group Three level at Flemington on Saturday week.
"But we just felt he's working so sharply and so well he seems to be back to his best two-year-old form, so we thought we might have a crack (at the Carlyon)," Hayes said.
Stablemate All American, who was also nominated for the $180,000 Carlyon (1200m), has been reserved for Monday's Zeditave Stakes (1200m) for three-year-old colts and geldings at Caulfield.
Von Costa De Hero, a $1.2 million Australian Easter yearling sale purchase, is out of Scenic mare Piavonic who defeated the great Sunline when she won the 2001 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.
Earlier that year Piavonic had won the Carlyon Stakes and she remains the only horse to complete the double.
Von Costa De Hero won the Group Two VRC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) in March last year after which Sheikh Mohammed's Darley Stud bought a half-share in him.
The colt hasn't won since but has been placed in three of six appearances including a slashing second to Sebring in the Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill last April while last spring he ran third to Whobegotyou in the Caulfield Guineas (1600m).
Von Costa De Hero, whose latest outing was a fourth to Northern Meteor in the Group One Coolmore Stud Classic (1200m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day, would become the seventh three-year-old to win the Carlyon after California Dane (2006), Yell (2003), Royal Code (2002), Clang (1997), Kenvain (1994) and Dapper's Hope (1992).
Kerrin McEvoy, whose only race ride on Von Costa De Hero was in the Caulfield Guineas, takes the mount on Friday night.
The colt drew barrier two in the seven-horse weight-for-age event which features the comeback of El Segundo who has not raced since winning the 2007 Cox Plate, and the presence of two other Group One winners in Mr Baritone and Light Fantastic.
Steven King will ride El Segundo for the first time in the Carlyon, a race the Pins seven-year-old won two years ago.
Rubiton Stakes winner Mind Your Head is after his fourth win from as many starts this preparation while Lucky Secret, the winner of five of his six starts at the Valley, and Cocinero, runner-up to El Segundo in the 2007 Carlyon, are the other runners.