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Fravashi the trainers' tip

Fravashi the trainers' tip

05/03/2009 5:58 PM

Trainers Mick Price and David Hayes agree Australian Guineas favourite Fravashi is the horse to beat in Saturday's $750,000 classic at Flemington.

The pair saddle up Heart Of Dreams and Nicconi, the two horses rated by punters as the greatest danger to the Peter Snowden-trained Fravashi in the Guineas.

Price's hopes of a fairytale victory with Heart Of Dreams - which will be ridden by Craig Newitt, whose father died last Saturday - rose when the gelding drew ideally in gate two.

Bookmakers reacted by installing him a new second favourite behind Fravashi.

Heart Of Dreams, which ran an eye-catching third last start at Caulfield, has been thwarted by wide draws at each of his two runs this campaign.

"I'm happy with Heart Of Dreams, he'll have a nice run in the race and he'll be thereabouts and in the money," he said.

Price said Fravashi should enjoy a comfortable run from gate seven but was pleased Nicconi drew the extreme outside in the 12-horse field.

Hayes admitted the wide draw was a blow for Nicconi, which boasts an exceptional turn of foot.

"We would have loved him to draw in," said Hayes, who also has Eagle Falls and Von Costa De Hero engaged in the race.

Hayes, who won the Guineas two years ago with Miss Finland, could not split his three runners after all drew poorly.

"Eagle Falls from the barrier (10) will lob right on the pace," he said. "It'll be a matter of who gets the best run."

All three, however, were in top shape, he said.

Trainer Mark Kavanagh was not confident Dr Doute's, a $13 chance, could produce a form reversal in the Guineas.

A winner over the course and distance on Derby Day last year, Dr Doute's has beaten just four runners home in his two runs this campaign - both at Caulfield.

"He's never run well at Caulfield," Kavanagh said. "He reserves his best runs for Flemington."

"Hopefully he can get back to his best."

The spruik runner in the race is Huxssen, whose connections paid a late entry fee of $41,250 after the gelding won back-to-back races last month albeit in restricted grade.

He has been backed into $8 after odds in excess of $50 were available last month.

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images

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