2025 PB Lawrence Stakes: Key gear change for Evaporate
Trainers Ben, JD and Will Hayes have moved to curb Evaporate's aggression when the smart galloper resumes in Saturday's Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield.
Punters immediately started backing Evaporate when all-in betting opened on Saturday's $300,000 feature on Monday afternoon, pushing the four-year-old's quote as short as $3.
However, Sydney galloper Private Eye is the $3.70 favourite in the first final field markets ahead of Evaporate at $3.80.
Drawing barrier three will give jockey Blake Shinn the chance to give Evaporate the perfect run for his bid to give Lindsay Park its fourth straight PB Lawrence Stakes success.
Ben Hayes said a gear change would help Shinn settle the Group 2 winner early in the weight-for-age contest.
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'The one little thing that we are changing, and I think it's an important thing, is that we want him to settle so we're going to put the earmuffs on for the race,' he said.
'It's probably his one little vice. He does get a bit aggressive in his races and we trialled him with the earmuffs on and he was excellent.
'I think they're going to be a real bonus to him.'
Despite having imperfect racing manners, Evaporate won five of his 14 starts and more than $1.4m in stakes in his two and three-year-old seasons.
• 'Blake will be riding whether he likes it or not': Yeomans to go solo
The son of Per Incanto ran an honest fourth in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes in February and second in The Kiwi in New Zealand in March.
Hayes said the $10m Golden Eagle would be the irresistible spring aim for Evaporate with the shift from Rosehill to Randwick to help his charge, who won the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes at Randwick in April.
'I think we're going to stick to the mile for this prep because of the Golden Eagle. That's his Grand Final,' Hayes said.
'You only get one chance to run in it and it's worth $10 million so it's worth aiming for as he's won on that track and distance.'
Evaporate is a winner at Randwick, the venue of the $10 million Golden Eagle in October. Picture: Getty Images
• Comeback king set for Melbourne Group 1 spring riches
Two jumpout wins at Flemington have primed Evaporate for his first-up crack at the early season feature.
Evaporate's stablemate Here To Shock shares the third line of betting with the Cliff Brown-trained Sepals at $7.
Desert Lightning is next in Lawrence Stakes betting at $8.
Daniel Stackhouse will ride Here To Shock while Ethan Brown and Ben Melham will be aboard Sepals and Desert Lightning respectively.
Originally published as Key gear change has Evaporate primed to swamp rivals in 2025 PB Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield
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