Ben and JD Hayes have celebrated their first major as a training partnership with Mr Brightside landing an upset win in the $3 million Doncaster Mile at Randwick.
Racing is in the blood for the third-generation horsemen, who are the grandsons of legendary trainer Colin Hayes and the sons of Hong Kong-based trainer David, the brothers teaming up as business partners in June last year to continue the family’s Lindsay Park legacy.
Mr Brightside was considered an outside chance in Saturday’s 1600m feature but lifted under Craig Williams to give the Hayes’ duo their first Sydney winner and their maiden Group 1 together.
“With all of the change we’ve had the past year with Dad (David Hayes) going to Hong Kong and Tom (Dabernig) leaving the partnership, to get a result like this with all of our team is just the biggest thrill,” Ben Hayes said.
“Brightside is a special horse to us. He was our first city winner and first stakes winner in Victoria and now he is our first Group 1 winner.”
Ben and JD celebrated their first Group race success when Zayydani captured the Matriarch Stakes in Melbourne during the spring, and Ben hoped Mr Brightside’s win would provide a boost for their stable.
The brothers have achieved what Lindsay Park haven’t managed before – to win a Doncaster.
In doing so they have become the first Victorian-based trainers since Tony Vasil with Haradasun in 2007 to win the famous Randwick mile.
“A lot of our owners did back us, there were a couple that left but hopefully they come back now,” Ben Hayes said.
“We’re hungry and we want to succeed and we’re getting it done.”
Williams said Mr Brightside ($20) wasn’t overly comfortable on the heavy track but kept trying and was able to wear down fellow Victorian I’m Thunderstruck ($6) by a half-length with last year’s runner-up Icebath ($21) again in the placings, another long neck away.
“The way that this horse has come over from New Zealand in one preparation, they just took the steps through his grades and really developed this horse,” Williams said.
“He’s still not a furnished product yet, so really looking forward to an exciting spring now that he will probably be a weight for age horse.”
Forbidden Love started favourite and strode to the front on straightening, but she was overhauled by the placegetters late and finished fourth with jockey Jamie Kah saying the 1600m just found her out.
“Really good effort. Just not quite as sharp at the mile,” jockey Jamie Kah said.
