CAN THE HAYES FAMILY RULE HONG KONG RACING AT SHA TIN ON FWD CHAMPIONS DAY?

By Darren Winningham | Monday, April 21, 2025

Can history be created on Sunday at Sha Tin on the FWD Champions Day 2025?

The Hayes family have three genuine chances to win all three feature Group 1 races on the program and pocket the HK$74 million prizemoney?

The Chairman’s Sprint is the first leg of the feature races worth HK$22 million. David Hayes trains the current world’s best sprinter on ratings - Ka Ying Rising who will be ridden by Zac Purton. He is on an 11-race unbeaten streak and has broken the Sha Tin track record on two occasions this preparation. He is flying and only bad luck will see him be defeated on Sunday.

The second leg of the feature races is the FWD Champion’s Mile worth HK$24 million where Lindsay Park Racing trainers and sons of David Hayes - Will, JD and Ben Hayes will saddle up Mr Brightside with Craig Williams to ride. He has an amazing record over the mile with 21 starts for 12 wins and 6 minor placings.

Coupled with that are the 9 Group 1 wins from 26 starts and 10 minor placings. He has settled in well since arriving from Australia with Ben Hayes telling the media on Monday morning at track work that he left Australia weighing 520 kilograms and arrived in HK around 508 kilograms.

However, since arriving he has gained this weight again and has settled in well. Ben Hayes was confident saying that “he is moving well, he has a great coat on him, and he looks fantastic – we are as happy as we can be going into Sunday.”

The last leg is the FWD QEII Cup worth HK$28 million. David Hayes saddles up Rubylot. He was unlucky in the Hong Kong Derby over the same distance of this race 2000 metres. He was sent out a pronounced favourite in the Derby and was subjected to some torrid buffeting throughout the run which clearly hampered him and led to him being defeated by Cap Ferrat (trained by Francis Lui) who he will meet again here.

David Hayes was hopeful about his chances saying, “I think because he had been prepared for a Derby, we might as well try him against the best 2000m horses. If he measures up, great … but if he doesn’t measure up, he’ll be kept for shorter distances.”

Hayes has made a key jockey change booking Hugh Bowman to ride him in the feature race on Sunday.

Ben Hayes was hopeful of a big day out telling me: “Hopefully we can get it done, but as you know, in horse racing strange things can happen, but no, we are very happy. I know dad's very happy with his horse and we are happy with ours, we are looking forward to it.”

The stage is set now – we just must wait and see how this all unfolds.

With the Hayes family possibly set to make history in Hong Kong, it could be one momentous day for Australian racing .

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