THE resurgence of David Hayes has coincided with the near completion of the Hall of Fame inductee's training and spelling property at Euroa.
The state-of-the-art complex has led to the once-dominant Hayes being absent from the big carnivals around the country but it was expected and of little concern.
It is all about planning for the future, just as Hayes's acclaimed father Colin did when setting up the famed Lindsay Park training, spelling, and breeding operation in South Australia several decades ago. While Hayes still has stables at Flemington, the move to Euroa has given the trainer easier access to racing in NSW, provincial Victoria and South Australia. For good measure, Hayes has Spacecraft in tomorrow's $1 million Railway Stakes in Perth.
In recent months, Hayes has targeted Sydney and was back at Canterbury on Wednesday where Unchain My Heart won after scoring at Randwick on November 1.
''Since the beginning of the season we've had eight winners and eight seconds in Sydney and we're knocking them through at about 20 per cent,'' Hayes said yesterday. ''The best strike rate of any of the major stables up there.
''It is one hour and 40 minutes from Euroa to Flemington, seven hours to Sydney and eight to Adelaide. That horse [Unchain My Heart] left Euroa on Monday night, had a walk around at Randwick on Tuesday and will be back in her paddock this afternoon [Thursday] with her feet up.
''It is the new way of travelling horses, it used to be you were in Sydney for a week and they'd go off their form, go off their feed but they don't have time to fret now.''
The only setback was earlier this year when Hayes's nephew Tom Dabernig was struck by a two-year-old and suffered a smashed leg. Hayes's trusted Sydney operative, Lizzie Jelfs, who has travelled nationally and offshore with his horses, was called back to run the operation at Euroa where Dabernig had been stationed.
''Now Lizzie is back in Sydney full-time, we'll have a presence up there nearly every week,'' Hayes said.
''When the horses return home I'll have a look at the programming and see where they are best suited. I can take them over to Adelaide, to Melbourne or return to Sydney.
''Adelaide and Sydney have been better than we'd hoped for at this stage, while Melbourne has let us down but it was the spring carnival and I didn't have that class of horse.
''I've had a lot of horses win in three starts this preparation, everything is going to plan and I'm looking to pick up some more Sydney clients as we go along.''
Last month Hayes had five winners on one day spread across the three states. ''We are still fine-tuning the operation and it is all about getting a return for the owners,'' he said. ''Racing up there [Sydney] is good when you take in the BOBS bonuses you can pick up for winning.''
Hayes will be represented at Warwick Farm tomorrow by the juvenile debutante Infinite Fortune, while Cool Choice and Erfaan run in Adelaide. ''Infinite Fortune is a nice filly on trial for a trip north for the Magic Millions,'' Hayes said. ''She trialled at a place called Tatura and she goes better than what she showed.''
By super sire Redoute's Choice, Cool Choice was another buy out of this year's Magic Millions sale on the Gold Coast. ''She has a bit of a temperament but she did trial well,'' Hayes said. ''She is also on trial for a trip up to the Magic Millions. We actually like both the fillies and we're hoping to get a result on Saturday.''
Hayes described Erfaan as ''a consistent horse'' that ''just got beat at Morphettville last start and can go one better on the weekend''.
Spacecraft has had four starts since joining the Hayes stable and the trainer is confident the five-year-old will run well in tomorrow's group 1. ''We put the tongue tie on him last start, he was getting [his tongue] back and over the bit, and it made a hell of difference,'' he said.
Spacecraft arrived in Perth 10 days ago and has pleased Hayes. ''Peter Knuckey, who is riding him on Saturday, said the horse was going very well,'' he said. ''He has drawn a bit wide in barrier 12 … The horse is going to be 30-1 and a good each-way show.''
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