Hayes loving life and work back in Hong Kong

Australian Hall of Fame trainer David Hayes has the no vacancy sign up on his stable and with five representatives to step out on opening day he is hoping to successfully ignite his second spell in Hong Kong.

Hayes returned to Australia in 2005, after a lengthy and hugely successful spell in Hong Kong, to continue his domestic career and establish the state-of-the-art training centre at Lindsay Park at Euroa, which is now in the hands of son Ben and nephew Tom Dabernig.

He has found little has changed within the Hong Kong industry, with the exception of the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Conghua racecourse and training facility in China, which opened two years ago .

“It’s a place I know very well having trained here for 10 years and loved it and it hasn’t taken much to adjust back,” Hayes told TDN AusNZ.

“The same players are still here and a lot of my old friends, which is good fun. It’s testament to the Jockey Club that a lot of the officials are still here from when I left so I do feel very welcome.

“China is the big change, having that world-class facility which I haven’t got to yet because of COVID-19, but the rest is very similar.”

The Conghua facility has four tracks – one turf, two dirt and an uphill 1000 metre gallop – and nine stable blocks capable of housing up to 660 horses.

The complex also boasts an equine swimming pool, spelling paddocks, an isolation stable, an owners’ lounge and trainers’ pavilion, a broadcasting centre and a veterinary hospital and was seven years in the making at a cost of HK3.7 billion (AU$656,533,550).

Flagship performers

Hayes arrived in Hong Kong in June and following his two-week isolation period, completed at the Jockey Club’s country club, got down to business with Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road To Rock) and Shadow Hero (Pierro) promising to be flagship performers.

Formerly with John Moore, Beauty Generation is a multiple Group 1 winner and Hong Kong Horse of the Year.

“Beauty Generation will trial next Tuesday so he will be ready to run at the end of September. Shadow Hero has just started doing even time,” Hayes said.

Shadow Hero won four of his 11 starts for Mark Newnham, including the G1 Spring Champion S. and the G1 Randwick Guineas, before his sale to one of Hayes’ major clients, Edmund Lee.

The G3 SA Sires’ Produce S. winner Ringbolt (Dream Ahead {USA}) and the unbeaten pair of Talladega (Sebring), the winner of the Listed JC Roberts S., and Master Montaro (Toronado {Ire}) are also promising younger horses in the team.

“I’m full now, which is great for the start of the season. I’m about to open up in China and will go to 70, at the moment I’ve got 62 horses,” Hayes said.

“We’ve been building up quietly and we’ve had a few promising horses that have trialled nicely. I really can’t wait for my new horses to step out, they are probably a month to six weeks away from stepping out.

“The local horses have been trialling well and I expect them to be racing up to that.

“I’m looking forward to the racing starting, there won’t be any crowds but it will be good anyway. I’ve got five in and a couple of decent chances, probably Moneymore would the best.

“He’s in the Class 5, believe it or not, the lowest-rated horse.”

Moneymore (Reward For Effort) was runner-up in a recent 1000 metre trial at Sha Tin and will be Hayes’ first runner when he contests the second event on Sunday’s card, the Kowloon Peak H. over 1200 metres.

Hayes won 17 Group 1 features, two premierships and 458 races during his initial nine-year stint in Hong Kong from 1996 before his return to Australia in 2005.

“I’ve left Lindsay Park in great hands with Ben and Tom. They are getting winners, which is obviously really, really important,” he said.

“They are winning a lot of races, and that generally means it’s not long before you are winning good races.”