Robbie Laing doubts there will be a fitter horse than Hey Fat Cat in the Autumn Stakes at Caulfield.
Successful at Sale and Sandown in his last two starts, Laing decided to bypass another restricted race at Sandown during the week for the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) on Saturday.
Laing also reasoned the extra prize money was worth having a crack at, with third place prize money not far shy of the first prize on Wednesday.
“I scratched him from Sandown on Wednesday where he had 62 kilos, it was the last race and we were running for midweek money,” Laing said.
“I don’t want to sound snobbish, but the Autumn Stakes, against three-year-olds, it’s worth a lot more money.
“He’s a fit horse, he ran two-tenths outside the Course Record first-up, broke the Class Record by half-a-second last time and drops to 57 kilos on Saturday.
“There may be horses in there better than him, but they won’t be fitter than him at this stage.”
Hey Fat Cat is undefeated in two starts since being gelded, winning first-up at Sale and then at Sandown when Laing thought he was vulnerable.
Laing said Hey Fat Cat played up in the pre-parade, in the parade and would not settle at the barriers before being loaded.
“He was good at Sale and carried on like a pork chop the other day,” Laing said.
“He did play up bad at Sandown as a colt at his last start before we gelded him and whether he had flashbacks, or a bad day at the office, but he was off his head.
“I thought he’d be worn-out before the race is run.”
Hey Fat Cat showed a tenacity under Arron Lynch in his latest win after the jockey rode the gelding to an easy win at Sale.
However, Lynch would have had to do it tough to get down to 57kg on Saturday and Laing did not feel that was in the best interests of Hey Fat Cat.
“The manager of Aaron Lynch said he could get down to ride at that weight, but I don’t like that,” Laing said.
“I was a jockey myself and I know when I tried to ride below my minimum, I felt terrible.
“The horse ends paying the penalty with a tiny little saddle, no packing, no breastplate and the jockey is like a rung-out rag.
“So, I’ve put Michael Dee on. He rides a big race winner here and there.
“He’ll ride him in a nice saddle, he’ll watch all his replays and get a good idea of what he’s about.”
