Latest news with #HayesBrothers
The Australian
04-08-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
Nine-time Group 1 winner Mr Brightside back at Flemington trials
The rider was different but it was otherwise business as usual for nine-time Group 1 winner Mr Brightside's return to the jumpouts at Flemington on Monday. Mr Brightside last raced in an unsuccessful trip to Hong Kong in April but arrived at Flemington last week to step up his latest spring campaign for trainers Ben, JD and Will Hayes. • 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! Group 1-winning jockey Luke Currie stepped in for regular rider Craig Williams at Flemington. Ben Hayes said Mr Brightside performed as usual despite not being asked for much in his first hitout in more than three months. 'He just cruised around and did what he normally does so we were happy with him,' Hayes said. 'Luke Currie rode him in the jumpout because Craig is overseas in the Ukraine at the moment and he gave us a good report. 'He said he felt great and did everything he was asked.' • Brad Waters' horses to follow from Flemington on Saturday The Hayes brothers will keep to their usual routine and give Mr Brightside a second jumpout before the gelding returns in the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 16. Mr Brightside won the Lawrence Stakes in 2022 and 2023 before missing last year's race to tackle the Group 1 Memsie Stakes first-up. 'We've stuck to a method that has worked time after time with him,' Hayes said. Mr Brightside (white jacket) had his first jumpout of the spring at Flemington on Monday. Hayes said, while the Hong Kong trip failed to live up to expectations, Mr Brightside had benefited from his first taste of international competition. He said the son of Bullbars was in the category of Cox Plate runner Docklands, who thrived after his trip to Australia to win a Group 1 race at Royal Ascot at his first start back in England. • Blaze of glory: Jumping sensation lands Grand National Hurdle 'I think the trip to Hong Kong might have helped him even though it didn't pan out in the way we wanted,' Hayes said. 'He came back a better horse and it is often the case that horses can improve off travelling. 'Have a look at Docklands. He travelled out here and went back to England and performed really well over there.' Unbeaten filly Scenic Point was another of the Lindsay Park team to step out at Monday's Flemington jumpouts, winning the first heat of the morning. Hayes said Scenic Point would resume in the Group 3 Quezette Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday week but the stable took the chance to give the three-year-old a look at the Flemington straight. 'She got a little bit lost down the straight but it was good to give her a look down the straight in case her spring preparation takes her that way in a race like the Coolmore,' Hayes said. 'We'll see what she does in her first run or two then decide whether she's going to be a Thousand Guineas filly or comes back to the Coolmore. 'It's great that the Thousand Guineas is back where it was (in October) as those fillies could again go on to the Oaks if they're shaping that way.'
South China Morning Post
14-06-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Hayes brothers and Tim Clark combine as War Machine lands the Stradbroke
War Machine lived up to his name with an explosive display to win the Group One Stradbroke Handicap (1,400m) at Eagle Farm for the Hayes brothers. Ridden by Tim Clark, the winner of 59 races in Hong Kong including the 2013 Classic Cup on It Has To Be You, the Harry Angel gelding settled just forward of midfield, sitting three wide with cover. Hooked out on the turn, War Machine charged home down the outside and readily collared the leaders, winning by just under a length from a fast-finishing Yellow Brick. War Machine WINS the G1 Stradbroke Handicap! 🏆 Tim Clark with a flawless performance in the saddle! — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 14, 2025 The $2.6 favourite was a popular winner for brothers Ben, Will and JD Hayes, who are the sons of Hong Kong trainer David Hayes, and co-trainer Ben was full of emotion post-race. 'We're very proud, it was an amazing result today,' Ben Hayes said. 'We're fortunate to be able to get that horse from Mike Moroney and he's an amazing, exciting horse. 'It's funny, a lot of people expect him to be a big, powerful horse. But he's got a physique like Mr Brightside, so hopefully he's the same.' And a humble Clark, who rode the perfect race, deflected all praise onto his willing partner and the trainers. David Hayes (middle) with his sons JD (left) and Will (right). HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. '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,' said Clark. '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.'
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
13-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Trainer Maddy Sears says Yellow Brick ‘well over the odds' for Stradbroke Handicap
Gold Coast trainer Maddy Sears compares her Stradbroke Handicap contender Yellow Brick to a cute and cuddly Labrador Retriever who loves attention. The five-year-old gelding is a $34 chance – 'well over the odds' according to Sears – for the Group 1 $3m Stradbroke (1400m) on Saturday at Eagle Farm. 'The best way to describe him is that he's kind of like a Labrador dog,' said Sears, who trains in partnership with her dad Tony. 'I do everything with him. He's really cruisy and he loves to be the centre of attention. 'He's a very easy horse to train and a real happy-go-lucky kind of horse.' Yellow Brick was the second emergency in last year's Stradbroke but failed to secure a start in a race won by Queensland jockey Zac Lloyd on $16 chance Stefi Magnetica. 'He's well and truly made the field this year and I think he's a better horse now,' Sears said about Yellow Brick. 'He's rock-solid fit and we couldn't be any happier with him. 'He had a good gallop on Tuesday which will put him in good stead for the weekend.' Brothers Ben, Will and JD Hayes train the $3 favourite War Machine in a wide-open hunt for the $1.8m prizemoney which goes to the winner of Queensland's premier race. 'I think it's a very open race and there are very different formlines that are going to come through, it's definitely an interesting race,' Sears said. The Sears paid just $20,000 for Yellow Brick in 2021 and with his prizemoney having cracked the $2m mark (including bonuses), the gelding has well and truly been a bargain buy. Local jockey Andrew Mallyon will ride Yellow Brick with a 53.5kg weight from barrier 8 in the Stradbroke on Saturday.
News.com.au
30-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Rise At Dawn primed to spring upset in Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup
Kingsford Smith Cup contender Rise At Dawn is the Hayes brothers' 'ugly duckling' who has done what superstar stablemate Mr Brightside couldn't. Will Hayes, who trains alongside his brothers Ben and JD, pointed out that Rise At Dawn won the Listed The Elms Handicap (1400m) at Flemington in February first-up in his preparation, an achievement that even the great Mr Brightside couldn't pull off in 2022. 'By no means is this an easy race,' he said about the Group 1 $1m Kingsford Smith, which offers a golden ticket to the Stradbroke Handicap for the winner. 'He's certainly going to be right there to the finish because he's a horse with tremendous high-cruising speed and he does get pretty quick to the corner. 'I remember what he did first-up in The Elms in the autumn. He goes pretty good first-up so we're very excited for the weekend. 'Mr Brightside actually kicked off one preparation in The Elms and wasn't able to do it so he's certainly in pretty good company.' Four-year-old Rise At Dawn is a $17 chance for the Kingsford Smith Cup, well behind favourite Joliestar ($2.90), Giga Kick ($5), Benedetta ($7.50) and Bosustow ($8.50) in the market. The gelding that co-trainer Ben Hayes last month described as an 'ugly duckling, but he's all heart' was initially slated to run in last weekend's Group 3 BRC Sprint (1350m) but a bad barrier draw led to his scratching. 'We decided to bide our time and I'm glad we did because we've come up with a very good barrier (one) in what looks to be a competitive race,' Will Hayes said. 'It's a weight-for-age path as well so if we win, it doesn't change our weight in the Stradbroke (52.5kg).' Asked about the 'ugly duckling' reference, Will said: 'He's certainly not a picture by any means. 'It's a bit like there's no such thing as an ugly rich bloke and there's no such thing as an ugly fast horse. 'He's by Almanzor and he keeps rising to every occasion.' A Kingsford Smith Cup victory would not only secure a spot in the Stradbroke, but the $600,000 winner's cheque would push Rise At Dawn's prizemoney well beyond the $1m mark. 'I think you can make a case for probably eight horses in the race,' Hayes said. 'They'll more than likely be having to give us a decent start but we're meeting them all at set weights so it's going to be a very good barometer as we head towards the Stradbroke.' Rise At Dawn flopped in the All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington in the autumn before his last start, an impressive fourth in the $4m Group 1 Doncaster Mile, which was won by last year's Stradbroke Handicap champion Stefi Magnetica on April 5.
