KEY POINTS:
Guillotine emerged from the shadow of his Melbourne Cup-winning half-brother Efficient when he chopped up the reputations of some stars to win the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes.
Trainer David Hayes feared the grey may have been out of his depth yesterday at weight-for-age but must now lament that the 4-year-old was not nominated for the Cox Plate after defying his $A31 starting price to win the traditional 1600m lead-up by a long neck.
Casual Pass, who was also not nominated for the Cox Plate, finished second while Emirates Stakes winner Tears I Cry was a neck away third, a head in front of hot favourite Maldivian.
Michael Eskander's Betstar cut Guillotine's Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cups quote from $A51 for both races to $A15 and $A17.
Hayes thought Guillotine, who is unbeaten in two runs for him after scoring in Adelaide last start, ran yesterday as a place chance.
Guillotine was held up for a run at the top of the straight but jockey Craig Williams sidestepped him into the clear and he charged home over the last 100m for an outstanding win.
"That is what we need," Hayes said. "He is so far down the ratings, but we think he is a Group horse and he proved that today."
Hayes said he was aiming Guillotine for the JRA Cup at Moonee Valley at the end of the month but would now revise plans.
Guillotine joined the Hayes stable after David Payne trained him in Sydney with mixed success.
At his last start for Payne he finished fifth to Nom Du Jeu in the AJC Australian Derby but owner Les Samba, who owns Hayes-trained horses including Gorky Park, felt Guillotine could be better suited racing the Melbourne way.
Guillotine, who is from the Defensive Play mare Refused The Dance, has 50kg in the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups while 5-year-old Efficient has 58kg in both Cups.
Efficient is $A7 favourite to win his second Melbourne Cup and $A51 for the Caulfield Cup but not expected to run in that race.
The main feature at Moonee Valley, the Group One Manikato Stakes, was won by Typhoon Zed, patiently ridden by Nash Rawiller. Absolut Glam was second and the favourite, Kaphero, third.
- AAP
