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By Ray Hickson

If jockey Tim Clark is on the mark with his assessment of Eliyass leading into his second Australian start at Randwick on Saturday then the import will be a force to be reckoned with in the staying ranks this spring.

Jockey Tim Clark (Pic: Steve Hart)

Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott unveiled the gelding back in June and he posted a runaway win in the Lord Mayors Cup (2000m) to take his record to seven wins from nine starts.

Clark has trialled Eliyass twice in the lead up to the Group 3 $250,000 National Jockeys Trust Premier’s Cup (2000m) and based on what he’s seen is confident he’s a better horse now.

“His two trials have been very good, he seems to be coming up very well and seems forward and ready to go,’’ he said.

“I’ve been happy with what I’ve felt through his trials, he seems to have trialled a bit better this time in. It looks a lovely race to start his campaign in.

“He’s in at the time of year to aim up at a race like the Metropolitan and it’s exciting to be riding a horse heading in that direction.

“Hopefully he can continue to put wins next to his name like he’s done so far in his career.”

Eliyass is already equal favourite for the Group 1 Metropolitan (2400m) run on October 5 at $8 alongside Fawkner Park in TAB’s pre-noms market and $2 on Thursday to win the Premier’s Cup.

It says a lot about how impressive he was winning at his local debut given he started a $7.50 chance but that was on the back of what Clark felt were lesser trials.

He’ll have to carry 57kg this time around, a rise of 3kg, and Clark said a track with a little give in it would be perfect.

“I think he’ll go on any ground but being an import they generally like putting their toe in a little bit so the track should be ideal and there shouldn’t be any excuses,’’ he said.

“I expected him to go very well (at his first run), he had a lovely run and it worked out well for him.

“This guy certainly started off the right way and hopefully he can continue on that trajectory.

“Gai and Adrian decided to put him away straight away and aim up for a spring program. I think he’s quite capable of measuring up to the better races in the spring.”

Hallett came a long way in quick time in the autumn, graduating from a maiden win to a Group 3 placing at her second start, and Clark is keen to see how she’s developed into the new season.

The filly steps out in the Group 2 $300,000 Darley Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) and does so having outpointed Shangri La Express in her latest trial.

Clark said it’s a bit of a guess as to how she will fare alongside the likes of Group 1 winner Manaal but suspects she’s a filly on the way up.

“Obviously Manaal in this race is the benchmark and everything else has to come up to her level but they can change so much from two to three and hopefully she’s taken the necessary improvement,’’ he said.

“Some have improved, some might not have improved, so it’s an interesting time to get a gauge on where they fit.

“She’s got good tactical speed and I’m sure she’ll put herself in the first few. She’s also come up pretty well and is fit and ready to go.”

One thing Clark is sure of is that Hallett didn’t love the heavy ground when she ran into third behind Espionage in the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes but was rapt with her resolve.

Eliyass runs second in a Randwick trial on August 5

Hallett was $8.50 with TAB on Thursday and isn’t in the early Flight Stakes market but Clark suspects she’ll come into contention with a good first-up performance.

“Her trials have been fantastic leading into this,’’ he said.

“A lot of these fillies are on a path toward the Flight Stakes and we’ll know a bit more after Saturday where she sits in that pecking order.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting