It has been three and a half years since David Hayes’ last Group One winner but the sleeping giant is starting to stir.
Hayes and training partner Tom Dabernig won four races at Caulfield on Saturday.
The Lindsay Park team also had a Group One placing with Crackerjack King in the Underwood Stakes and were luckless in the Naturalism Stakes as favourite Spillway finished seventh after being blocked for a run at vital stages.
Hayes and Dabernig have trained 13 city winners so far this season to sit one behind Melbourne premiership leader Peter Moody who has also had a flying start, highlighted by Dissident’s two Group One wins.
With his training property at Euroa in full swing, Hayes is convinced he has the horses to make an impact on the feature days.
“It’s the first time for a few years that we’ve had the quality horses,” he said.
“I’ve been putting my money into bloodstock rather than bricks and mortar. I’ve finished building, that does help.
“I just think we’ve got quality players on the field. We’ve settled in really well to the property and we’re really confident in our processes. Hopefully it can continue for a while.”
Hayes will monitor entries for Friday night’s Moir Stakes before he decides whether to give talented mare Gregers her chance to break the Group One drought.
“Gregers is in the Moir if it’s a small field. If it’s a red-hot race, we’ll pick an easier race for her,” he said.
Hayes took heart from seeing a mare, Angelic Light, beating star sprinter Lankan Rupee in the McEwen Stakes at Moonee Valley last start.
“He (Lankan Rupee) might not be at his best at the Valley, maybe,” Hayes said.
The Mick Price-trained Lankan Rupee is scheduled to gallop at Moonee Valley on Monday in preparation for the Moir.
While Hayes and Dabernig enjoyed a big day on Saturday, it was slightly dampened by Spillway’s unlucky run in the Naturalism Stakes.
The Turnbull Stakes was nominated by Hayes as the next step for Spillway to try to secure a Caulfield Cup spot, but The Metropolitan in Sydney is also an option.
“He probably would have won (The Naturalism) and been nearly favourite for the Caulfield Cup. Now he’s going to have to beat very good horses to get in,” Hayes said.
