Oak Hill targets Carlyon Stakes after unbeaten Lindsay Park start

Phase two of Lindsay’s Park’s plan to build on the late Mike Moroney’s work with the smart sprinter Oak Hill will occur in Saturday’s Carlyon Stakes at The Valley.
Oak Hill was one of a number of horses that moved into the Lindsay Park operation after the Melbourne Cup-winning trainer’s sudden passing earlier this year along with Moroney’s former right-hand man Anthony Feroce.
Oak Hill is unbeaten in two starts for Ben, JD and Will Hayes, who have set the five-year-old for next month’s Group 1 Moir Stakes over 1000m at The Valley.
The son of Per Incanto won over the course when resuming in a Benchmark 100 race on August 9 to take his record to an imposing four wins and a second from five runs at the track.
Oak Hill has constructed a terrific overall record of seven wins from 14 starts.
D Hayes said the New Zealand-bred sprinter was ready to graduate to stakes races, like several of the stable’s acquisitions from the Moroney team.
“We’re very lucky with these Ballymore horses that came to us,” Hayes said.
“Mike picked some very nice horses and we just got them at the right time as they have flourished into men.
“He’s developed them and we feel like the coach that has just taken over a premiership side.
“Some of them are a bit like ruckmen, they have taken a bit longer, but they are really starting to blossom with maturity.
“Oak Hill is definitely one of those horses.”
Oak Hill is one of 13 entries for the $175,000 Carylon Stakes, for which entries will now close on Tuesday morning.
Last year’s winner Mornington Glory is the highest rated of the nominations on 109 and will be much fitter for his first-up fifth behind Oak Hill.
Group 2-winning speedster Baraqiel could also resume in the Carlyon Stakes after he was scratched from the Bletchingly Stakes on vets’ advice less than an hour before last month’s Caulfield contest.A pair of interstate stables could target the Carlyon Stakes with Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan entering Golden Boom, who was narrowly beaten in last year’s race, and Bjorn Baker nominating Disneck.