Rival trainer David Hayes who saddles-up second favourite in Saturday’s 2015 Coolmore Stud Stakes hopes the odds-on fancy Exosphere is vulnerable down the Flemington straight for the Victoria Derby Day classic.

Blue Sapphire winner Keen Array represents David Hayes & Tom Dabernig in the 2015 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington this Saturday in Melbourne. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Hayes trainers Keen Array in partnership with his nephew Tom Dabernig, the in-form Bel Esprit gelding looking to extend his winning streak to three on the trot in the $500,000 Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on the first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival this weekend.

To date Hall of Famer Hayes has saddled-up 19 Coolmore Stud Stakes hopefuls resulting in two third place efforts, and in 2015 he could again be running for a place at best with the dominance of the John O’Shea-trained Golden Rose winner Exosphere.

Star Lonhro colt Exosphere is out to become the seventh favourite in 11 years to take out the three-year-olds’ sprint and is already odds-on at $1.40 in pre-field Coolmore Stud Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au who are running Best Tote or SP + 20% on all nine Flemington races on Saturday!

Exosphere comes off a Randwick win by three and a quarter lengths in the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) and is now looking to join the Chris Waller-trained duo Zoustar (2013) and Brazen Beau (2014) in completing the Roman Consul – Coolmore Stud Stakes double.

Second pick in the all-in Coolmore Stud Stakes odds at $8 is then Hayes’s hopeful Keen Array, just ahead of the other Godolphin-raced runner in the mix Mogador ($9).

Last time out at Caulfield on October 14, Keen Array beat home Mogador by a quarter-length in the lucrative Listed Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m).

That was the Lindsay Park galloper’s second straight win after success over the 1200m at Moonee Valley the run before by two and a half lengths, Keen Array undefeated over the distance heading into the Group 1 test this weekend.

While happy with the form and progression of his hopeful, Hayes is well aware of the class of Exosphere and can only hope he has trouble down the famous Flemington straight in his Melbourne debut in the Coolmore.

“Exosphere is a champion I think,” Hayes told Racenet.

“If he runs to his Sydney form we probably can’t beat him.

“But it’s Melbourne, it’s up the straight and we’re in great form and we’ll race to a track record if conditions are right.

“You never scratch for one horse even though they do terrorise you.”

Last Saturday’s Cox Plate winning trainer Waller, who took out his first ‘Major’ with Winx’s flying four and three-quarter length success in Australasia’s weight-for-age championship, returns with two Coolmore Stud Stakes hopes this season.

He has the blinkers on Counterattack again who comes off a win in the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes (1200m) that last year’s winner Kuro backed-up from to run third in the Coolmore.

Japonisme is Waller’s other hope of three straight victories in the Derby Day classic who is second-up after returning from a freshen-up to cross third to Exosphere in the Roman Consul Stakes.

Back your favourites across the Victoria Derby Day card including in the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Best Tote or SP + 20% only at Ladbrokes.com.au on Saturday who are also offering an Extra 50% on your very first Fixed Odds winner in Races 1 – 5 at Flemington!