Zayydani will forever hold a special place for new Lindsay Park trainers Ben & Jd Hayes after winning a stakes race during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
The daughter of Savabeel provided the Hayes brothers with their first win, which also happened to be a Listed race, at Eagle Farm in June, but Zayydani improved on that at Flemington on Saturday.
Zayydani provided the brothers their most important victory to date claiming the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) which also happened to be their first winner as a pair during Melbourne Cup week.
JD joined Ben as co-trainer in early June and Zayydani’s win on Saturday was the stable’s 46th victory.
In a rails hugging ride by Luke Nolen, Zayydani ($9) defeated Our Intrigue ($19) by a half-neck with Starelle ($15) a further length away third.
Ben said to get a win during Melbourne Cup week was exciting.
“It’s a long week but her getting up, it was a target race for the stable and it is just a huge thrill,” he said.
“It’s so great to get a result for the breeders, they’ve got a Group 2 winning mare now.”
Lindsay Park had set Zayydani for Saturday’s race following her campaign in Brisbane.
“She was our first winner as a partnership in a race in Queensland and she’s done a great job to come and hold her form into Cup Week and to top it off with a Group 2 Matriarch is unbelievable,” JD said.
Nolen elected to take the shortest way home on the fence saying the northerly wind provided cover while the inside part of the track walked well.
He said he was pleased to land a good win for the brothers during Cup Week.
“The boys do a very good job,” Nolen said.
“I think they have a very good format in place and working under David for many years, they’re getting their own team together and I think it will only grow from here.
“They’ve got good horses and good human beings behind them. It’s a bit of a pleasure to have ridden for them because they’ve been good supporters of me.”