Lindsay Park bid to kick-off season on a high with trio of stakes runners
The Hayes Brothers are set to take a major step towards converting a bumper juvenile season into a rich three-year-old campaign as they unveil three exciting second–season runners at Caulfield on Saturday.
Lindsay Park were one of the most successful stables in the country on all fronts last term, celebrating 253.5 wins, up from 199 in 2023-24 and the third most in the country after Ciaron Maher (329.5) and Chris Waller (273).
But it was with the babies that they enjoyed particularly eye-catching success, with no fewer than 20 individual two-year-old winners ringing in 31 race victories, including a nation-leading eight at stakes level.
“We’ve got a really good bunch of three-year-olds coming through,” Ben Hayes told ANZ News. “We had a good two-year-old year, and that normally converts into the three-year-old year so, fingers crossed.”
Three of those stakes winners will be in action on Saturday, two of whom are resuming.
The unbeaten Scenic Point (Written Tycoon) starts first-up as one of the favourites in the three-year-old fillies’ feature at Caulfield, the Quezette Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m).
One race earlier, Ben, JD and Will Hayes will saddle two of the favourites for the males’ Vain Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m), with Shining Smile (Spirit Of Boom) seeking his sixth straight win second-up from a spell, and Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) third-placegetter Tycoon Star (Written Tycoon) resuming.
At least two of the trio, and maybe all three, could be headed for a clash in the spring’s three-year-old sprint highlight of the Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), although Ben Hayes suspects Tycoon Star may be suited by a longer trip, putting the Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) more central on his horizon.
For now, the trio will compete against their own sex on Saturday, and Hayes is warm on the chances of Scenic Point as she sets out to bring the stable only its second Quezette this century – the last coming in 2020 under the formation of Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig with Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai), before her transfer to Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.
Bred by former Edinburgh Park boss Ian Smith, Scenic Point was a $450,000 Inglis Easter purchase for powerful Queensland owner Ron Wanless. She’s the second foal out of non-winning mare Ludicrous Mode (Snitzel), a half-sister to Group 2-winning Aquis sire Glenfiddich (Fastnet Rock), from one of Smith’s most successful families stemming from third dam Darling Alice (Northern Flagship).
A late bloomer, Scenic Point debuted with a Pakenham maiden victory on March 20, before a length win over her four rivals home in Caulfield’s Redoute’s Choice Stakes (Listed, 1100m), starting at $1.40, on April 5.
The richly dark-coloured filly has had two jump-outs this time in, the latest a sparkling 0.75-length win, coming from behind the leader, over 800 metres up the Flemington straight on August 4.
Scenic Point will encounter a quality field in the Quezette including fellow resumers My Gladiola (I Am Invincible), Icarian Dream (Blue Point) and Blue Hotel (I Am Invincible), but Ben Hayes is keen on her chances.
“She’s in great shape. I’m really happy with her, and she’s developed and strengthened really well coming into her three-year-old year,” Hayes said of Scenic Point, who has barrier two of 11 for Daniel Stackhouse.
“As a yearling, she was a beautiful, well put-together filly that we loved, and Ron bought her and was kind enough to give us the opportunity to train her.
“She was a bit of a late maturer; it took her time to get to the races, but I think that’s been to her benefit.
“She didn’t do too much wrong last prep, winning two races, the last of them a stakes race.
“She’s trialled up great. The last one up the straight I was really pleased with. It looks like she’s trained on out of that and I’m expecting her to be really competitive on Saturday.
“She seems sharp. I’d expect she can run very well. It’s a hot field, there’s some nice horses in it, but she’s one of them, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Hayes is keeping the option open for Scenic Point to start in Caulfield’s Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) – back this year to its more traditional and sensible timeslot on October 18 – but is inclined to believe the Coolmore might be her most suitable target.
“She trialled down the straight pretty well the other day, so she could be on the sharper side,” he said.
In the Vain, Shining Smile’s picket fence will come under its greatest pressure yet as the colt – who scored a hat-trick of Listed wins in the early autumn – seeks a sixth victory at start number eight. He’ll jump from gate five of eight under Stackhouse, who rode him in his first six starts before apprentice Logan Bates claimed three kilograms in his last–start handicap.
Bred by former Cups double winning jockey Scott Seamer, Shining Smile resumed with a 0.15–length win under 59.5 kilograms – 3.5 kilograms more than the second topweight – in a 1000-metre Flemington two-year-old handicap on July 19. Second home was Oyster Lane (Blue Point), who subsequently made it three city placings from all three starts when third at Moonee Valley last Saturday.
Shining Smile – a $160,000 Gold Coast weanling sale buy for Boomer Bloodstock – was given a top-up jump-out over 800 metres on Flemington’s inner grass on August 8. He won comfortably by 1.5 lengths, further boosting Hayes’s confidence for the Vain, run like the Quezette under set weights and penalties.
“He’s a beautiful horse, and I’d expect him to be very competitive again,” Hayes said.
“He won first-up and won very well, beating a good horse and carrying a huge weight. He gets a nice little drop in weight now and goes to level weights against his own sex, so I think he’ll be in it up to his ears.
“He’s come back great this time in, developed well and has a big strong neck on him now. He’s got a good record down the Flemington straight, so I’d think the Coolmore would be his ultimate goal.”
Tycoon Star, bought at Magic Millions Gold Coast by Lindsay Park for $400,000, with breeders Yulong keeping a quarter, showed considerable promise through a demanding six-start two-year-old season.
After a two-race spring campaign that began with a length victory in Flemington’s Maribyrnong Plate (Gr 3, 1000m), he resumed with a fourth in Caulfield’s Blue Diamond Prelude (Gr 3, 1100m) before perhaps the most eye-catching run in the Group 1 main event, rattling home from 13th at the 400 metres for a 1.35–length third, at $17.
The hardy colt then campaigned in Sydney with a fourth in the Todman Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) and a tenth, beaten 4.9 lengths, in the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m).
Drawing gate two for Mark Zahra, he goes into the Vain after two jump-out wins at Caulfield and Flemington, the latest by around five lengths on the Flemington inner grass on August 8.
“Tycoon Star has come back in terrific order,” said Hayes, confirming the colt would keep his blinkers on for his three-year-old resumption.
“He ran in all the big races last prep. He ran huge in the Blue Diamond, finished a length off them in the Todman, and the Slipper was a pass mark run.
“He’s had two nice jump outs and won his last one by five lengths with the blinkers on, so we’ve elected to keep those on. He’s a horse who has a bit of a look, he’s a bit cheeky, but he’s trialled well, and I’d imagine he’d be one of the horses to beat in the Vain.
“He’s another one who we’ve got to work out whether it’s sprinting or getting out to the mile, but I think he could maybe get out in trip.”
The prospect of rain-affected going on Saturday could throw up some form queries, but holds no fears for Hayes. Caulfield was a Soft 7 on Wednesday, with a 60-65 per cent chance of rain forecast on Friday night and Saturday.
Both Hayes colts – but not Scenic Point – have had one try on soft going, with Shining Smile winning his last start on a Soft 5, and Tycoon Star running fourth at his second outing on a Soft 6, in Caulfield’s Merson Cooper Stakes (Listed, 1000m).
“I reckon it’ll be racing in the soft region, and I think that’s no problem for our three,” Hayes said.
“I don’t think a bit of give in the track is the worst thing, especially first-up. And normally Caulfield needs a bit of rain or it gets too firm.”
After a season in which they stamped themselves as Australia’s most improved stable, the Hayes brothers are confident their trio of three-year-olds can provide them with some major early momentum in this campaign on Saturday.
“We’re very proud of the whole team,” Ben said. “A lot of hard work behind the scenes goes into it, and we’ve got a great team behind us. To get rewarded like we were last season is the bonus, and we’re hungry to do more.
“We’re looking forward to this season. I think we’ve got the right team to hopefully improve again.”