A Hayes wins Blue Diamond again

For Hall of Fame trainer David Hayes, winning the $1.5 million Blue Diamond Stakes is even better when you get to share it with another member of the Hayes racing dynasty.

Hayes has now won Victoria’s premier event for two-year-olds a record six times but rates Saturday’s win by Catchy as extra special since it’s his first in partnership with son Ben and nephew Tom Dabernig.

“Winning it on your own’s terrific but it’s a team effort and this is an acknowledged team effort,” Hayes said.

His father, the late Colin Hayes, trained three Blue Diamond winners.

Assistant trainer Gary Fennessy has been part of the Lindsay Park stable’s Blue Diamond success since the early days and says the secret to winning simply comes down to good and sound horses.

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“It’s just a race we always can target for and if you’ve got the good two-year-olds you win it,” Fennessy said.

With six runners and a record to add to, Dabernig admitted there was a lot of expectation going into Saturday’s feature race at Caulfield.

“I had my heart in my mouth coming down the straight,” he said.

“Anyway, we got the job done.”

Sheidel ensured the Lindsay Park team got the job done again in the next race, delivering the trainers and owner Robert Crabtree a Group One double with victory in the $500,000 Oakleigh Plate.

“I’ve placed in both the races before but to get them with two fillies that will become part of the broodmare band and to get them with Tom and David and Ben is just fabulous,” Crabtree said.