Race programming can be the bane of a horse trainer’s life.
You have a nice horse capable of racing through the grades and earning important prize money for their connections.
But in some circumstances trainers are forced to go outside of their class to find a potential race, which is what Cliff Brown has been forced to do with Sepals, a winner at his past two starts.
Sepals broke his maiden status with a 1400m maiden win at Sale before rising to an open benchmark 64 race at Sandown over 1400m on January 29.
In an ideal world, Brown would be taking Sepals to a benchmark 70 race over 1400m for three-year-olds, instead of the Group 3 C S Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday.
“We’re throwing him in the deep end because we sort of have to,” Brown said.
“I’m sure I’m right in saying there are no benchmark 70 races for three-year-olds over 1400 metres, so you either have to go and take on the older ones, but they are a tough bunch, those horses.
“Even in a benchmark 64, you don’t find a three-year-old win a maiden and then go on to win an open benchmark 64 too often.
“We’re here on Saturday because of the way the programming has fallen.”
Brown has a lot of time for Sepals and will get a better idea as to his drew ability after he runs on Saturday.
Blake Shinn takes over on Saturday with Jamie Mott, who won on the gelding at Sale and Sandown, sidelined through suspension.
“Where he sits, I have no idea,” Brown said.
“But he’s done nothing wrong, he’s a very genuine horse, so it will be interesting.
“It’s a really nice race. He’s drawn a nice gate. He’s a horse that will appreciate no pressure early and be allowed to build into it.”
Brown purchased Sepals at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale having trained the gelding’s dam, What’s New, in Singapore.
What’s New was a Group 2 and Group 3 winner for Brown and one of the few mares to race in Singapore where Brown said she did a good job.
“This was her first foal, and he was such a lovely horse I had to buy him,” Brown said.