Hayes hopes for redemption in HK Gold Cup
The magnificent tally of 446 Hong Kong wins doesn't leave much room for regret for two-times champion trainer David Hayes, but there's one omission on his CV that he would love to rectify - winning the Hong Kong Gold Cup.
For the past five years, Hayes has had to walk to the placegetters' stalls after this Group One race to welcome back a series of beaten runners. And he has one chance left to put things right at Sha Tin tomorrow before he heads back to Australia at the end of the season.
'The Hong Kong Gold Cup has been a frustrating race for me - it's the one race I haven't won that I dearly want to win,' Hayes said. 'Two years ago Elegant Fashion was terribly unlucky in finishing third to Olympic Express, and she showed how strong that form was by coming out and winning the Derby at her next run.
'And last year she was perfectly ridden but hit the front a fraction earlier than she likes and was just run down in the last few strides by Bullish Luck.'
That is not even half of the story. Hayes' sad affair with the Gold Cup goes back to 2000 when he had Helene Express (fourth) and Kenwood Melody (fifth).
The following year his expensive New Zealand private purchase Hades, who raced here as Helene Vitality, was ridden by Shane Dye and finished second to Idol (Michael Kinane).
Helene Vitality came back to square away the account in 2002 and went painfully close, this time beaten only a head under Dwayne Dunn, by Brian Kan Ping-chee's Industrial Pioneer. And then there were the two Elegant Fashion near misses.
The first lady of Hong Kong racing is back tomorrow for her third tilt at the Gold Cup, one of eight Group One races decided here each season.
This will be her last preparation before she heads back to the southern hemisphere and a new career as a mother.
The mare will again be ridden by her regular partner, Gerald Mosse, and on this occasion she has come up with a nice barrier (eight), from which the Frenchman should be able to put her into a prime spot forward of midfield.
Hayes nominates Elegant Fashion at the number one position among all the great horses he has trained since moving to Hong Kong in 1995.
'She is a filly and there aren't many of them here, so bringing her to Hong Kong and winning the Derby was really something special,' Hayes said. 'She's also competed in four international Group Ones in Hong Kong, and been placed in three of them, and didn't have a lot of luck in the fourth, last year's Hong Kong Cup, behind Alexander Goldrun. She's a great racehorse and she never disappoints.'
Underneath Elegant Fashion, Hayes rates the balance of his top five Hong Kong horses as All Thrills Too (winner of the 2002 Hong Kong Sprint against international competition), Charming City, Resfa and Smashing Pumpkin.
Tomorrow's $8 million Hong Kong Gold Cup, over 2,000 metres, looks like being the strongest domestic Group One for the season, with just about every top middle-distance runner engaged.
All three placegetters from last year's race - Bullish Luck, Elegant Fashion and Bowman's Crossing - return, together with dual Group One hero and last-start winner Super Kid, as well as Hong Kong Mile runner-up Perfect Partner.
Hayes will be four-handed in the race. He will also saddle up International Cup Trial winner Ain't Here (Brett Prebble), Oriental Magic (Glyn Schofield) and Native Dream (Craig Williams).
