Latest news with #Ben Hayes
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Key gear change has Evaporate primed to swamp rivals in 2025 PB Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield
Trainers Ben, JD and Will Hayes have moved to curb Evaporate's aggression when the smart galloper resumes in Saturday's Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield. Punters immediately started backing Evaporate when 'all-in' betting opened on Saturday's $300,000 feature on Monday afternoon, pushing the four-year-old's quote as short as $3. However, Sydney galloper Private Eye is the $3.70 favourite in the first final field markets ahead of Evaporate at $3.80. Drawing barrier three will give jockey Blake Shinn the chance to give Evaporate the perfect run for his bid to give Lindsay Park its fourth straight PB Lawrence Stakes success. Ben Hayes said a gear change would help Shinn settle the Group 2 winner early in the weight-for-age contest. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'The one little thing that we are changing, and I think it's an important thing, is that we want him to settle so we're going to put the earmuffs on for the race,' he said. 'It's probably his one little vice. He does get a bit aggressive in his races and we trialled him with the earmuffs on and he was excellent. 'I think they're going to be a real bonus to him.' Despite having imperfect racing manners, Evaporate won five of his 14 starts and more than $1.4 million in stakes in his two and three-year-old seasons. Evaporate extinguishes his rivals in the G3 HKJC @WorldPool Carbine Club Stakes! 🙌 @lindsayparkrace | @blake_shinn | @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 5, 2025 The son of Per Incanto ran an honest fourth in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes in February and second in The Kiwi in New Zealand in March. Hayes said the $10 million Golden Eagle would be the irresistible spring aim for Evaporate with the shift from Rosehill to Randwick to help his charge, who won the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes at Randwick in April. 'I think we're going to stick to the mile for this prep because of the Golden Eagle. That's his Grand Final,' Hayes said. 'You only get one chance to run in it and it's worth $10 million so it's worth aiming for as he's won on that track and distance.' Two jumpout wins at Flemington have primed Evaporate for his first-up crack at the early season feature. Evaporate's stablemate Here To Shock shares the third line of betting with the Cliff Brown -trained Sepals at $7.
News.com.au
7 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Lindsay Park runner Evaporate firms for stable's fourth straight PB Lawrence Stakes win
Fast punters have backed Lindsay Park-trained runner to give the stable a fourth straight win in the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes at Saturday's Caulfield meeting. Trainers Ben, JD and Will Hayes have won the last three editions of the weight-for-age feature, twice with stable star Mr Brightside before Gentleman Roy completed a hat trick of wins for the team last year. Group 2 winner and Caulfield Guineas placegetter Evaporate opened as the $4 favourite in 'all-in' betting on the Lawrence Stakes after winning two recent Flemington jumpouts. However, speedy punters pounced on that quote, backing him into $3.50 before the four-year-old firmed into $3 soon after markets opened on the $300,000 contest. Evaporate tops Lawrence Stakes betting ahead of the Joe Pride -trained Group 1 winner Private Eye ($4), who finished third in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap over 1400m at his most recent run in June. Evaporate extinguishes his rivals in the G3 HKJC @WorldPool Carbine Club Stakes! 🙌 @lindsayparkrace | @blake_shinn | @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 5, 2025 The Hayes brothers also have the $6 third pick Here To Shock, who became a Group 1 winner in a successful trip to New Zealand in February before going down narrowly before a spell in the Canterbury Stakes in March. Last year's Memsie Stakes winner Pinstriped firmed from $11 to $8 in the early stages of betting to join Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes winner Sepals on the fourth line of the market. Champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller has five of the 21 PB Lawrence Stakes entries. Yulong-owned imports comprise four of Waller's entries. Canadian-bred mare Moira, the winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Fillies and Mares in the US, is the highest-rated of Waller's Lawrence Stakes quintet.
The Australian
01-08-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
Hayes brothers aim to challenge Ciaron Maher for metro title after winning Victorian premiership
Lindsay Park has sights on challenging Ciaron Maher in the Melbourne training premiership. Brothers Ben, JD and Will Hayes claimed the state title last season, with 240 Victorian winners. Lindsay Park saddled 253½ winners Australia-wide – up from 199 the previous season. Co-trainer Ben Hayes credited the success to the Lindsay Park collective – staff, owners and horses. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'Since being in partnership – JD and I, and then Will, JD and I – every year we have had really nice improvement and last year, we were very annoyed we didn't get 200,' Hayes said. 'It's a great effort by the whole team behind us, who are working really hard. 'We get really good support from our owners and we've got a great team (horses) behind us now.' Evaporate and Shining Smile produced five wins apiece for Lindsay Park last season, while five other horses including Dublin Journal, Marble Arch, Rise At Dawn saluted on four occasions. Mr Brightside and inherited War Machine, previously trained by late Michael Moroney, combined for six wins, three at the highest level and about $6m prizemoney. • Bedggood set for another drought-breaking win at Flemington Despite the overall Victorian success, Lindsay Park trailed the powerhouse Maher yard 113 winners to 69 in the metropolitan trainers' premiership but saddled 300 fewer starters in Melbourne. 'Will, JD and I are just proud (of the results) and hopefully, we've got a big task ahead of us next year to try and beat what we've set this year,' Hayes said. 'It's definitely been our best year to date … to be leading Victorian trainer for all wins is a good effort, hopefully, we'll be a little bit more competitive next year with metro, that's our aim.' Trainers Will, Ben and JD Hayes, with Mr Brightside and strapper Will Evans, claimed the Victorian premiership with 240 winners. Picture: Michael Klein Lindsay Park improved its metropolitan output 66 to 69 year-on-year. 'We trained a couple more metro winners this year, I think we've got the quality to improve again,' Hayes said. 'Ciaron has been dominant for years now, it would be good to hopefully make it a bit more even but we'll be trying our best and being as competitive as we can be.' Hayes could make an impression on Saturday at Flemington with six starters, including Aztec State. 'He didn't win the other day but it was a huge run,' Hayes said. 'He's building nicely and could pop up.' • 'We were the common enemy': How Morrison united Victorian racing Lindsay Park has the firepower to compete anywhere, anytime this season with Mr Brightside, War Machine, Evaporate and Rise At Dawn primed for spring campaigns. Shining Smile, Scenic Point, Tycoon Star spearhead generation next. Aztec State is one of six runners for Lindsay Park at Flemington on Saturday. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images Hayes said Lindsay Park Euroa, Flemington and Pakenham stables were 'probably at capacity now', with horses inherited from late Melbourne Cup-winner Moroney and Godolphin more recently. 'There's been a big influx of horses and also had good support from our two-year-olds,' Hayes said. 'There's lots of exciting unraced ones too, which is great … full steam ahead. 'We have got to work harder than ever to try and win that metro premiership.' • Shinn holds off Williams for Melbourne jockeys' title Mr Brightside is slated to trial on Monday. 'He's building up well, he looks great,' Hayes said. 'We cannot fault him.' Stradbroke Handicap-winner War Machine is being aimed at the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) next month in a bid to boost potential The Everest stocks. Gilbert Gardiner Sports reporter Gilbert Gardiner is a sports reporter for the Herald Sun and Sunday Herald Sun. @gilbertgardiner Gilbert Gardiner
