Latest news with #ColinHayes
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Champion trainer Tony McEvoy to be inducted into South Australian Racing Hall of Fame
When Tony McEvoy was notified he would be inducted into the South Australian Racing Hall of Fame, his first thought was disbelief. Legendary trainers such as Colin Hayes, Bart Cummings and John Hawkes have been members for more than two decades, and now McEvoy, a Group 1-winning jockey and trainer, will sit in their company. 'It makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck when you mention those names,' McEvoy, a six-time champion Adelaide trainer, said. 'It's very humbling, I'm very proud of my journey, and proud of what I've been able to achieve. 'To have people see you in the light that they've seen me, to put me in this esteemed company – is quite incredible.' McEvoy, 64, left home at the age of 11, and was riding in races at 14, he won the Group 1 SA Oaks aboard the Colin Hayes-trained Deesse in 1977. After over 100 wins as an apprentice jockey, weight struggles saw him eventually turn his hand to training, from foreman at Lindsay Park, to training in his own right, he formed McEvoy Mitchell Racing with friend and businessman Wayne Mitchell in 2011, who's been a long-time supporter. McEvoy has now prepared over 2400 winners, including 16 Group 1 wins – five in partnership with son, Calvin, who has been co-trainer with him since 2019. Despite those accolades, McEvoy was surprised when told he had been chosen by the SA Hall of Fame panel to be inducted on SA Racing Awards night (September 6). 'It was incredible, the phone call, I didn't quite believe it when I first heard it,' he said. 'I felt very honoured, it meant a lot to me the phone call. 'It's an industry that I've made my life and to be recognised this way is quite incredible.' A Hall of Fame career isn't built without sacrifice, McEvoy is aware such success came at a cost. The racing game has no off-season, and the schedule is unrelenting. Unwavering support from wife, Jo, and children, Calvin and Eliza, ensured McEvoy could maintain commitment to his remarkable career. 'I've committed my life to it, I love it of course, but when something like this happens, it makes you think about the people that have given you the opportunity to do it,' he said. 'The people that are close to you are the people that suffer on these journeys because you are so committed to what you do, the people close to you don't get you as much as they want you. 'I think that's the case with my wife, and my kids when they were younger … there was no way I was going to get the father of the year title.' McEvoy met Jo at the Angaston-based Lindsay Park, and she's always understood the demands of the racing game. 'She fully understands it and is fully supportive, without her support, I couldn't have done half the things I've been able to do,' McEvoy said. 'There's also the other people that have given you the opportunity to do well, that starts with your parents of course, when you're a kid, putting you on the right path. 'I've got five brothers, we were all taught from a very young age, you just work hard and try and be as good as you can be, and things will happen for you. 'We've never had any money at any time of our lives, us McEvoys – but I feel we've all had rich lives. 'We've lived our lives well, we've worked hard and got rewarded for it. When I think that back on my journey, it's been lovely and incredible.' McEvoy's first boss was legendary horseman Bill Holland, after leaving home, he lived in a caravan at his Streaky Bay stables, and that kickstarted the journey. 'He put me on the path initially, he was an incredible man Billy Holland, a great person, a very good trainer and very good jockey in his day,' he said. 'He probably did all the hard yards because he got me to a stage where I was competent and that's when Colin Hayes picked me up. 'Colin, thankfully took me under his wing, he liked me, and gave me tremendous opportunities for the rest of my time there (Lindsay Park).' McEvoy shut down his SA training base in 2022, making a full-time move to Victoria, but he remains a proud croweater. 'I'm a very passionate South Australian. Racing there has always been very good to me,' he said. 'Sadly my business forced me to move when racing in South Australia was going through some tough times. 'I personally couldn't see that it was going to improve and I had to make a decision for my business to expand in Victoria. 'Not long after I left SA, things picked up there and racing seems to be going very, very well there. 'That was unfortunate for me, but I was very pleased for all the people in the industry, that they could see some light at the end of the tunnel again.' • Laurie eyes spring carnival success with Group 1 star McEvoy won the 2003 Cox Plate with Fields of Omagh, and Group 1s with wonder filly Sunlight, it's over 50 years in the industry flooded with achievement, yet a Hall of Fame honouring is at the summit. 'It would have to be the pinnacle for me, being inducted into the Hall of Fame,' he said. 'That phone call I got the other day, makes you reflect on all the good times, the bad times, and I think reflection – it's something I never really do much of. 'Having ridden a Group 1 winner, trained some Group 1 winners, and in an elite race like the Cox Plate, they are amazing things to happen to you, but I think this puts the icing on the cake for me.' McEvoy joins his nephew, three-time Melbourne Cup-winning hoop, Kerrin McEvoy, Colin Hayes, and training peer, David Hayes, in the SA Racing Hall of Fame. Star South Australian colt, Sometime, who won the 1963 Caulfield Cup, joins McEvoy as a 2025 inductee.
News.com.au
14-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Post-race jockey reports from the 2025 Stradbroke Handicap
Dominant favourite War Machine gave supporters little need for worry when scoring a commanding win in the $3 million Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. War Machine is trained by brothers Ben, Will and JD Hayes and provided the famous Australian racing family with their first win in Queensland's signature race. The late Colin Hayes and his son David, Ben Will and JD's father, are both Hall of Fame trainers but neither have won a Stradbroke. War Machine was never far from the speed before surging to the front with 300m to go and was never getting run down, defeating Yellow Brick with Private Eye back in third. War Machine WINS the G1 Stradbroke Handicap! ðŸ�† Tim Clark with a flawless performance in the saddle! — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 14, 2025 War Machine was ridden by Tim Clark and the victory was his sixth from 13 starts, taking his earnings to more than $2.4 million. This is what the riders thought of their mount's performance in the Stradbroke Handicap. 1st - WAR MACHINE (Tim Clark) He got away okay. He was just laying on the side of the gates a little bit, but he got away okay and it worked out pretty well from that draw. Myself and Ben (Hayes), we spoke before the race. Just wanted to get on a three-wide line with a bit of cover. He found Transatlantic's back, who I knew was going to take him far enough. He travelled so well, I probably let him loose a bit early. But this was the grand final, there's no tomorrow, so I wasn't going to die wondering. He let rip, really let rip. Maybe just wandered a little bit late. He could feel Yellow Brick coming late and sort of surged again. I can't take too much credit for it. What a great job by Ben and his brothers to just have him spot on for today. I was just the lucky one to get the call up. It's been a wonderful carnival. I love getting up to Queensland. To win the Straddie and just ice what's been a great carnival is a great result. 2nd - YELLOW BRICK (Andrew Mallyon) Really proud of his effort. We all feel vindicated that he he was going good on the track and he'd run a big race today 3rd - PRIVATE EYE (Nash Rawiller) Got a good start and I was able to take advantage of that. I've ridden a couple of good horses now in this race and it is bloody hard to win. Those good ones, they run their best race and still not quite good enough to get them there. As a horse so late in his career, that was one of his best runs ever. 4th - DESERT LIGHTNING (Tommy Berry) Out there it felt like he should have gone close. Had to wait for Private Eye to sprint as we were on his back. I was strung up for a little bit but I was rapt with him late. 5th - BOSUSTOW (Zac Lloyd) No comment provided. 6th - THE INSTRUCTOR (Jett Stanley) Very gallant run in defeat. We drew wide and had to do a bit of work once we got there. Came back underneath me beautifully and travelled up well into the straight then got stuck behind some tiring horses so we had to weave our way through and never actually got a clear run at them. Kept getting shifted on to so kept him going to the line. Couldn't be happier. 7th - ROTHFIRE (Craig Williams) From the outside barrier draw he gave me a beautiful ride from there. I got on the back of the eventual winner, travelled so well but the winner was too good for us late. Just got a bit tired today as Rob Heathcote said, he didn't have the ideal preparation. Gallant. 8th - PAYLINE (Kyle Wilson-Taylor) Plenty of interference early in the race but still happy where I was in the race following Desert Lightning. If he gets the rub of the green he definitely runs top five. He's done a big job this campaign. 9th - TRANSATLANTIC (Angela Jones) Nice run from a bad gate. Wasn't beaten all that far. Travelled into the straight ok but just a bit of argy bargy which he really didn't appreciate. Probably should have finished closer but it was a gallant effort. 10th - GOLDEN MILE (Jason Collett) Copped some squeeze early and I don't think he appreciated that. Wasn't strong late. 11th - THE INFLICTOR (Cejay Graham) Good run. Obviously his toughest task to date but travelled into it well and got buffeted around and didn't handle that. 12th - COLEMAN (Reece Jones) Just a little bit tardy into stride from the bad draw. Forced our hand. Got back with cover and he finished off well. Just too far back today. 13th - RISE AT DAWN (Declan Bates) Went ok. Just caught a bit flat when they quickened so he is probably ready for a mile now. 14th - FAR TOO EASY (Regan Bayliss) That ground is way too firm for him. Now that he's older, he never travelled for me. 15th - SPICY MARTINI (Robbie Dolan) He just didn't begin as well as I'd hoped and then hit the rail really badly on the first bend and that put her out of the race. 16th - FRONT PAGE (Damien Thornton) He ran well. Just had to do a bit more than ideal. 17th - PUNCH LANE (Rachel King) Had to do a lot of work from out wide and the track is probably a bit firm for hi. He tried hard. 18th - ROBUSTO (Kerrin McEvoy) He had to do it a bit tough from the gate. We tried to be positive and couldn't get the spot that we wanted so I had to try a couple of lengths further to get across and it was too much work for him, unfortunately.
News.com.au
06-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Queensland Oaks contender Jenni's Meadow marks full-circle moment for owner Tony Ottobre
In his younger days, prominent owner Tony Ottobre was an apprentice jockey for the late Hall of Fame trainer Colin Hayes. Now, in a full-circle moment, Hayes' grandsons Ben, Will and JD are training Ottobre's filly Jenni's Meadow in what looks to be a wide-open race in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. The David Vandyke -trained Philia, chasing a fifth straight victory, has drifted slightly to $4.20 in the betting market after drawing barrier 16 while Jenni's Meadow is $8. Group 1 Australasian Oaks winner Benagil is $5.50 and the Chris Waller -trained Movin Out, with James McDonald on board, is $8 in the $700,000 race for three-year-old fillies. Both Movin Out and Jenni's Meadow came from well back in the field to heap the pressure on frontrunning winner Philia in the Group 2 The Roses (2000m) at Doomben two weeks ago. 'She did make a long sustained run and the way she finished off, you'd think the extra 200m (in the Oaks) will be no problem,' Ben Hayes said. 'We're really happy with her and she's done everything right. 'She's really thrived and her final piece of work earlier in the week was excellent. 'We feel like we're right on track, we're just going to need a little bit of luck from barrier one, which is the opposite of The Roses (barrier 14).' Ottobre started out as an apprentice jockey in the early 1970s for legendary trainer Colin Hayes, who established the famous Lindsay Park Stud in South Australia's Barossa Valley. Hayes built a training and breeding empire that produced an incredible 5333 winners by the time he retired in 1990, including two Melbourne Cup victories with Beldale Ball (1980) and At Talaq in 1986. • 'How do they work that out?': Trainer queries Joliestar 'best horse' tag Ottobre eventually realised his future lay in owning horses rather than riding them and he became a successful businessman. He now keeps his stable of horses at his Cape Schanck farm on the Mornington Peninsula, enjoying enormous success over the past two years with three-time Group 1 champion and reigning horse of the year Pride Of Jenni. 'He's got a little bit of history with Lindsay Park, which is good, so it'll be exciting to get a good winner for Tony,' Ben Hayes said about Ottobre, who names his Jenni horses after his daughter, who tragically died from brain cancer at age 26 in 2015. 'He's passionate and he loves his horses. She (Jenni's Meadow) has been a very good horse for him the whole way through. 'She's a Listed winner, black-type Group 2, Group 3 placed and she'll be around the mark. 'She's definitely more than capable (of winning the Oaks).' All horses in the three Group 1s – the Oaks, Queensland Derby (2400m) and Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) – at Eagle Farm on Saturday have been passed by vets, with the exception of Let's Fly. Vets say the $21 Oaks chance has some muscle soreness and the filly will need to be trotted up again on race morning.
News.com.au
02-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Trainer Ben Hayes chasing Stradbroke Handicap win before the birth of his first child
Family patriarch Colin Hayes adopted the motto 'the future belongs to those who plan for it' and Lindsay Park's current crop is upholding the tradition. Ben Hayes is the latest of Colin's grandsons to start a family on his own as he confirmed his wife, racing media personality Grace Ramage, is expecting the couple's first child later this year. Hayes's twin brothers and training partners Will and JD became fathers to sons last year but he said he and Ramage were expecting a daughter. 'We've got a little girl on the way. It's so exciting,' Hayes said. 'She's the first girl.' Hayes said time would tell whether the Hayes dynasty would stretch to a fourth generation. 'It really depends on the next generation,' Hayes said. 'If they want to do it, we'll certainly support them.' • 'It jeopardises the Stradbroke': Benedetta back-up gamble While the Hayes family will have cause for celebration in a few months' time, the training trio could take Lindsay Park into uncharted territory in the Group 1 $3 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) on June 14. Neither Colin nor their father David has prevailed in Queensland's most famous race but recent stable recruit War Machine raced to Stradbroke favouritism with his dominant win the Group 3 BRC Sprint at Doomben. Bookmakers promoted War Machine to the $4 favourite in Stradbroke betting with that quote set to tighten should Chris Waller withdraw Newmarket Handicap winner Joliestar from the $3m event. Hayes said War Machine had progressed well since his Doomben win but the camp had to finalise one important detail for the four-year-old's Stradbroke Handicap bid. 'We've got to find a jockey and that will probably be after this week,' Hayes said. 'He gets into the Straddie really well with only 53 (kg). 'I think he's a deserved favourite and his form is great. 'Hopefully he can have a bit of luck with the barrier.' A race-to-race double for @blake_shinn as War Machine wins the last at Doomben in impressive fashion! @lindsayparkrace — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2025 • Group 1-winning jockey facing six weeks on the sidelines War Machine will be out to give prominent Melbourne owner Rupert Legh his third Stradbroke Handicap win. The late Mike Moroney prepared Mr Baritone (2008) and Tofane (2021) to win the event carrying Legh's navy and yellow silks. Tofane went on to win another two Group 1 events. Hayes said War Machine could also develop into a consistent Group 1 performer in the spring. 'We don't want to think too far ahead and we'll just focus on the Straddie but he would be an excellent Toorak horse and I think they moved the Rupert Clarke back to where it was as well,' Hayes said. 'There's heaps of that type of race for him so there's plenty of options. 'He's hard to get a guide on at home because he's a lazy worker, just like Mr B but he just turns up race day. 'We love horses that do it and that's what he's done for us so far.'
