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By Tony Megahey

For class veteran Haky ($26 on TAB), it’s an age and racing planet away from the early theatre of Longchamp and Chantilly and then Flemington Group races, to be an intriguing focus at Ballina’s TAB meeting on Monday, transferred from rain-affected Murwillumbah.

Ballina raced on a good four yesterday with a similar rating for this afternoon.

Haky rising nine years, initially won for French-based English trainer John Hammond, a dual Prix de l’Arc de Triumph winner and on his retirement sent to compatriot Archie Alexander at Ballarat for success.

Haky is winding down his career with Matthew Dunn on the northern rivers.

The Group-winning veteran is one of several Dunn contenders to be ridden by Matthew McGuren and Luke Dittman.

If Haky’s best days are past and he resumed with a last at Ipswich from a lengthy spell, the fact he’s accepted into the leading provincial stable, suggests there could be enough ability remaining for this modest grade.

Haky’s original 65kg less the 2.5kg claim for Dunn’s apprentice Jasper Franklin, is a weight from past glories into an East Coast Asphalt Ballina Cup prelude 1600m on Monday afternoon.

It’s near a lap short of his best distance as Haky’s wins are 2400m out to 3000m. But the inkling he could still do something way back in grade, is his early second-up form.

Compelling is two wins and a runner up from seven starts second-up. And just seven runners will help his prospects.

Haky’s last win was the Group 3 Easter Cup at Flemington in April of 2020, hardly an eternity for a massive drop in grade.

Dunn stablemates, Royal Sky ($5), race two and Squeeze Dis ($6) in the sixth event are well placed. Ballina will race in ideal conditions.