If Saturday’s C.F Orr Stakes meet at Sandown’s Hillside track is anything to go by ‒ the Lindsay Park Racing duo of Ben and JD Hayes is set for an exciting autumn on the track.
When it came to the day’s feature race, it appeared the Hayes brothers had claimed their second Group One triumph as Gentleman Roy crossed the line in first place.
But a protest would rob the pair of glory, as it was determined that favourite Jacquinot was interfered with in the run to the finish, giving him the win and bumping the Lindsay Park runner down to second place.
Speaking trackside after the meet, Lindsay Park co-trainer JD Hayes described the what ensued after the protest was upheld.
“A lot of people have reached out and I am very thankful for that,” Hayes said.
“It is the highs and lows of racing, I thought Gentleman Roy run a terrific race and the sun will come up tomorrow.”
Despite the disappointment of that result, it did not dampen a golden day for the Euroa-based stable, as a number of its runners shone.
The highlight would come in the final race, where New Zealand born gelding Here To Shock delivered a memorable victory in the 1400m Tile Importer Handicap.
Presenting as one of the top chances, the Hayes runner began the race at $6, and jumped well to settle at the front of the field.
Taking prime real estate next to the fence, jockey Damian Oliver took control of the tempo of the race and rounded the final corner in front.
In the early stages of the straight Here To Shock began to pull away from the field and he was primed for victory at the 400m mark.
But in the dying stages the Lindsay Park runner had to see off two epic challenges, with the first coming from Savannah Cloud on the inside before Munhamek made a bold dash to the line on the outside.
However, Oliver used his years of experience to hold firm in the finish, as Lindsay Park got its elusive victory in form of a 0.1L triumph.
Hayes said the victory was a perfect finish to a dramatic day of racing.
“Character building for sure (after the Gentleman Roy disappointment), this win was a great way to finish the day that’s for sure,” he said.
“I thought Ollie rode that horse to perfection out in front, the plan was to get cover, but that’s why you put the good jockeys on, he made a quick decision to go to the front.
“All credit to the horse though, he paraded really well this time around and going from a mile to 1400m he performed fantastically, it was a great effort from the entire team at home.”
Earlier in the meeting, the training duo watched on as exciting two-year-old Little Brose showcased that he is one runner to blackbook.
Little Brose, at double figure odds, ran a close second to Barber in the Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) in an effort that has the talented colt head to the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes.
The Lindsay Park stable also got a second-placed finish out of fan favourite So Si Bon in the 1600m Group Three T.S. Carlyon Cup ‒ capping an excellent day for the Hayes brothers.