The Lindsay Park training team, made up of Ben, Will, and JD Hayes, are eyeing a long-awaited triumph in one of the country’s most prestigious races.
Despite the esteemed legacy of their grandfather Colin Hayes and their father David Hayes, along with Peter Hayes and Tony McEvoy, the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) has remained elusive for the stable.
This year, they head to Eagle Farm with a strong duo in War Machine and Rise At Dawn, aiming to finally etch the Hayes name into Stradbroke history.
After an unremarkable debut in the race last year with Here To Shock, the team feels confident about their hand this time around.
“We had our first runner last year and he didn’t go us well as we had hoped, but this year we’ve got the best hand that we’ve ever had and hopefully with a couple of nice draws, we should get every chance,” Ben Hayes said.
War Machine, previously trained by Mike Moroney and Glen Thompson, has impressed since joining Lindsay Park, winning at Caulfield before capturing the BRC Sprint (1350m).
“We got approached by Rupert (Legh) and everyone involved, and it was an offer you couldn’t say no to,” Hayes said. “Mike was a very good trainer, and he had lots of Group 1 success. He had a lot of nice horses and we’re benefitting from that, and we’ll do our best to get a result for him.”
After galloping at Eagle Farm this week, War Machine appears in top order. “He’s done everything right and he looks fantastic, so we’ve just got to wrap him in cotton wool to get him to the big day,” Hayes said.
Stablemate Rise At Dawn returns just a week after finishing fifth in the Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m), dropping from 59kg to just 52.5kg for the Stradbroke.
“I think you can look back to his autumn carnival when he ran in the All-Star Mile,” Hayes said. “He got beaten four lengths there and then he ran fourth in a Doncaster and got beaten just under half-a-length.”
Hayes is upbeat about Rise At Dawn’s ability to rebound on the quick turnaround. “From weight-for-age last week to a handicap it’s a big difference, and he gets a big drop in the weights with 52-½ kilos,” he said. “He’s come through his run in good order and we’re confident he can run really well.”
“We haven’t backed him up before, so we’re learning, but he’s definitely a danger, not only to War Machine, but all the others in the race.”
