Saturday saw Lindsay Park’s command of Bendigo Golden Mile’s richest offering persist, with the Hayes brothers bringing forward Marffiano to annex the VOBIS Gold Rush.
As half-brother to Tycoon Star, he produced a Lindsay Park quinella by holding off Resonant in the juvenile event worth $250,000 plus $30,000 VOBIS incentives.
Ben, Will and JD Hayes thus secured a hat-trick of VOBIS Gold Rush wins, building on Killiana’s from last year and Bold Bastille’s in 2024.
Marffiano, a Home Affairs colt bought for $475,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, impressed Ben Hayes with his class on debut.
“Just before the race we were saying how he’s quite a laid-back customer – a bit like his older brother, he can be a bit lazy in trackwork sometimes as well – hence the winkers were on,” Hayes said.
“He’ll come out one morning and do his work well and then, next time, it’ll feel like you’d never taught him do anything and he’ll get it all completely wrong.
So, the owners have been through ups and downs through the whole preparation but to come out and win a big VOBIS race like this is just a big thrill and well done to the whole team.”
Overcoming Hayes’ race eve worries, the $9 shot Marffiano excelled at Bendigo with a fine beginning and stalking run, assuming control 150m out to deny the $19 Resonant by a half-length.
Pace-setter Running Rich ($11) stayed on for third, 1-1/4 lengths adrift.
Aboard for the debut, Declan Bates praised Marffiano’s conduct.
“He made my life pretty easy, to be honest,” Bates said.
“He was a real, gentleman. He done everything right – he began nice, the speed was nice, we were able to just camp off it and I just liked that the further we went in the race, the better he went underneath me.”
Ben Hayes revealed that the stylish debut notwithstanding, he and siblings plan to rest Marffiano post this, eyeing spring three-year-old sprint majors.
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