Winning Horse: Little Brose (Aus)
2yoC Per Incanto (USA) – Mohegan Sky (USA)(Straight Man (USA))
4 starts – 2 wins 2 seconds $1395750
Black Type Wins
1st LR Caulfield Thoroughbred Club Merson Cooper Stakes 1000m (2022)
Black Type Placings
2nd G3 Sandown-Hillside Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) 1100m (2023)
2nd G3 Flemington Darley Maribyrnong Plate 1000m (2022) (Debut Run)
No other wins
Race Result:
1st: Little Brose (Ben & JD Hayes/Michael Dee) – $9.50
2nd: Don Corleone (Peter & Paul Snowden/Mark Zahra) – $10
3rd: Arkansaw Kid (Ben & JD Hayes/Jye McNeil) – $61
Winning Time: 1:10.00 Last 600m: N/A
Margins: 1L x Long Head
Winning Trainers: Ben & JD Hayes
Both Hayes brothers (Channel 7)
Ben: “It was a beautiful ride by Michael. I’m shaking. He’s a super horse. Full credit to the team at home. That’s our eighth individual two-year-old winner this year, it’s huge.
JD: “I love it when a plan comes together. We needed luck in running, we got it. It’s so brilliant. Like Ben, I’m struggling for words.
“For everyone back home at Lindsay Park, it’s so good for the team to get a result like this. Mum and dad, up in Hong Kong, it’s on delay, so they’re probably crossing the line now. They’ll be yelling the house down.”
On dad: “He’s a terrific man. He’s given us great wisdom and I’m just so happy for everyone at Lindsay Park.”
JD Hayes (on racing.com): “We’ve got such a good team around us at Lindsay Park. Terrific facilities. The person who bred Little Brose unfortunately had a death in the family so condolences go out to him and I hope that puts a smile on his face.
“Also Dean Hawthorne, when I got caught doing my thing at the sales he picked him out. Terrific when it all comes together. So good.
“Everyone (the team) really works hard and they’ve got an important role to play as do Ben and I – know your role and play your role.
“I’d also like to thank Mr Young. He took the horse one out. He took me on a golfing day in Hong Kong and bought into this horse and we’ve been on a terrific run. Couldn’t be happier to get a good result for a good client.
Ben Hayes (on racing.com): “I’m shaking. I thought he was good enough to win and I’ve felt like vomiting all-day.
“To see a beautiful run and a beautiful ride by Michael and to win so impressively, is so exciting. He’s a really exciting horse.”
“I’m thrill for the whole team. Mum and dad at home.
“It’s good to be winning the Blue Diamond and keeping that family tradition going.”
“The winkers made him just travel better. He never looked like losing. So exciting. I’m thrilled. I’m thrilled for everyone and he’s so exciting going forward.
On Arkansaw Kid: “I actually didn’t know he ran third until about ten seconds ago so I’m so happy. I knew that horse had ability and he was unlucky in The Millenium.
“To come out and run third in a Group 1 is a big effort.”
What it means to them to win a big 2yo race in Victoria: “JD and I sat down at the end of the season last year and said ‘what can we improve on?’.
“We got our two-year-olds slightly wrong and we changed a couple of things and I think our results have spoken for themselves.
“That’s our seventh individual winner and most of them have been listed and group races so we improved on that. I think it is huge going forward. Very exciting and thrilled for my whole family.
“We work so hard and to do it in our second year of training as a partnership, it’s a big thrill.”
Winning Jockey: Michael Dee
“The way the race unfolded, that’s exactly how we planned. I wanted to be somewhat positive and be as close as I can without putting him out of our comfort zone.
“He traveled strong throughout. There was a bit of jostling there with going to that first corner, but to this horse’s credit and Ben and JD, they’ve done an amazing job.
“To have the horse peaking on the right day is a credit to them.
His confidence coming into the race: “ He’s a horse that takes everything in his stride. He never turns a hair. He just canters around to the gates lovely and he’s just such a beautiful colt to ride.
“I’m sure it is onwards and upwards from here.”
Is he getting used to winning G1s: “You get used to it when they happen and you enjoy it when they come but you get brought back down to earth soon enough.”
Beaten Jockeys:
Jamie Kah (Barber): “He was a bit disappointing but he hasn’t really been in a situation where he’s been bumped and pushed around before in amongst them so he’ll take experience out of that. I think he might have just been over the top today.”
Jye McNeil (Arkansaw Kid): “Great effort. I was held up for a long time once turning in. He’s been beaten a length but a terrific run.
Ben Melham (Zulfiqar): “I thought he ran well, The barrier was no help to him. He likes to race on his Sydney leg a little. He will be better off in Sydney.”
Damien Oliver (Brave Halo): “He ran a great race.”
Jordan Childs (The Instructor): “Proud of his effort, but he got tired in the last 150 (metres).
Ethan Brown (Veecee): “He got caught wide from an average gate. Was working the whole race and never had his chance to finish off properly.”
Mark Zahra (Don Corleone): “He ran enormous. Just got shuffled back and needed a bit of luck but it was all too late.”
Craig Williams (Exploring): “From the barrier and under the circumstances of the race, I thought she was really gallant.”
Daniel Moor (De Sonic Boom): “It was a busy race and she copped a fair bit of bumping so she’s come down a bit but she’ll be a nice horse next time in.”
Nikita Beriman (Party For Two): “
Blake Shinn (Steel City): “Just never got a crack at them.”
Dean Yendall (Dubenenko): “F#$@ it.”
Damien Thornton (Picky): “She tried, but she just peaked late.”
Blaike McDougall (Extreme Threat): “Lovely effort.”
Daniel Stackhouse (Sensical): “She’s done a good job this prep. She can go to the paddock now and grow up.”
