Trainer Ben Hayes chasing Stradbroke Handicap win before the birth of his first child
Ben Hayes is the latest of Colin's grandsons to start a family on his own as he confirmed his wife, racing media personality Grace Ramage, is expecting the couple's first child later this year.
Hayes's twin brothers and training partners Will and JD became fathers to sons last year but he said he and Ramage were expecting a daughter.
'We've got a little girl on the way. It's so exciting,' Hayes said.
'She's the first girl.'
Hayes said time would tell whether the Hayes dynasty would stretch to a fourth generation.
'It really depends on the next generation,' Hayes said.
'If they want to do it, we'll certainly support them.'
• 'It jeopardises the Stradbroke': Benedetta back-up gamble
While the Hayes family will have cause for celebration in a few months' time, the training trio could take Lindsay Park into uncharted territory in the Group 1 $3 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) on June 14.
Neither Colin nor their father David has prevailed in Queensland's most famous race but recent stable recruit War Machine raced to Stradbroke favouritism with his dominant win the Group 3 BRC Sprint at Doomben.
Bookmakers promoted War Machine to the $4 favourite in Stradbroke betting with that quote set to tighten should Chris Waller withdraw Newmarket Handicap winner Joliestar from the $3m event.
Hayes said War Machine had progressed well since his Doomben win but the camp had to finalise one important detail for the four-year-old's Stradbroke Handicap bid.
'We've got to find a jockey and that will probably be after this week,' Hayes said.
'He gets into the Straddie really well with only 53 (kg).
'I think he's a deserved favourite and his form is great.
'Hopefully he can have a bit of luck with the barrier.'
A race-to-race double for @blake_shinn as War Machine wins the last at Doomben in impressive fashion! @lindsayparkrace pic.twitter.com/5I1jEbJDh9
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2025
• Group 1-winning jockey facing six weeks on the sidelines
War Machine will be out to give prominent Melbourne owner Rupert Legh his third Stradbroke Handicap win.
The late Mike Moroney prepared Mr Baritone (2008) and Tofane (2021) to win the event carrying Legh's navy and yellow silks.
Tofane went on to win another two Group 1 events.
Hayes said War Machine could also develop into a consistent Group 1 performer in the spring.
'We don't want to think too far ahead and we'll just focus on the Straddie but he would be an excellent Toorak horse and I think they moved the Rupert Clarke back to where it was as well,' Hayes said.
'There's heaps of that type of race for him so there's plenty of options.
'He's hard to get a guide on at home because he's a lazy worker, just like Mr B but he just turns up race day.
'We love horses that do it and that's what he's done for us so far.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Australian
15 minutes ago
- The Australian
WTM on trail of large gold corridor
Special Report: Waratah Minerals shot up more than 40% in early trading after drilling at Spur project in the East Lachlan region of NSW reinforced the potential of the Spur gold corridor to host a large-scale, high-grade epithermal gold system. WTM says multiple high-grade gold zones extend Spur Gold Corridor Project shaping up to host sizeable epithermal system in NSW Company undertaking extensional RC and diamond drilling The latest assays returned: 208.7m at 1.17 g/t gold from 514m including 89m at 1.96 g/t from 614m and including 38m at 3.61 g/t from 665m (drill hole SPRCD062 at Consols prospect); 27m at 1.03 g/t Au from 163m (SPRC078 at Essex Zone); 28m at 0.88 g/t Au from 160m (SPRC077 at Essex Zone); and 21m at 0.73 g/t Au from 133m (SPRC076 at Thistle Zone). Waratah Minerals (ASX:WTM) also found visible gold at Consols, which it says represents a major extension of the Spur Gold Corridor. A broad spaced drill program is planned for Consols to determine the extent of the mineralised system from surface to approximately 450m depth. Scale and significance becoming clear The company is confident the drilling demonstrates the potential scale, significance and growth upside of the rapidly emerging Spur Gold Corridor. 'Drill hole SPRCD062 represents a pivotal drill hole for Waratah at our Spur project,' MD Peter Duerden said. 'We have always believed that the epithermal gold mineralisation of the Spur Gold Corridor crossed the Essex Fault and should extend to the northeast, despite historical drilling having been unable to locate extensions. 'The decision by the exploration team to extend SPRCD062 twice based on encouraging geological indicators has resulted in the identification of a new mineralised zone including visible gold with high grades at Consols which represents a major extension of the Spur Gold Corridor and the best intercept at the project to date. 'With the ongoing exploration success and a high-level team in place the company is planning to accelerate activity at the project.' Extensional RC and diamond drilling is now underway at the Spur Project to define epithermal gold across the >1.5km Spur Gold Corridor whilst simultaneously testing for porphyry mineralisation in the Breccia West area. This article was developed in collaboration with Waratah Minerals, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing. This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.
The Australian
33 minutes ago
- The Australian
Break it Down: Heavy Rare Earths primed for Prospect Hill tin perforation
Stockhead's Break it Down brings you today's leading market news in under 90 seconds. In this episode, host Tylah Tully looks at news from Heavy Rare Earths (ASX:HRE), who have entered a new deal with major shareholder Havilah Resources (ASX:HAV) and secured the rights to all minerals at Prospect Hill - South Australia's most advanced and largest known tin project. Watch the video to learn more. While Heavy Rare Earths is a Stockhead advertiser, it did not sponsor this content. Sponsored Nova Minerals has released a conceptual processing flowsheet for its 1.24Moz RPM deposit in Alaska. Sponsored Rhythm Biosciences has announced that its second-generation ColoSTAT blood test detects colorectal cancer consistently across all stages of the disease.
The Australian
33 minutes ago
- The Australian
McKell Institute warns thousands of Australian manufacturing jobs are at risk
Thousands of Australian manufacturing jobs, particularly in regional areas, face significant risk as China intensifies investments to bolster its own manufacturing industries, a new report warns. The research by the McKell Institute reveals approximately 73,000 jobs in Australian regions reliant on refining and smelting metals are vulnerable. The report highlights the town of Port Pirie in South Australia, where state ministers have called for a federal bailout to save its lead smelter, a crucial local employer. If the smelter closes, the report estimates the town's population could drop by around 2,000 people, roughly 11 per cent, as economically productive residents and their families relocate. 'South Australia simply cannot afford to lose industrial anchors such as the Port Pirie smelter – anchors that have sustained regional communities for generations,' McKell Institute chief executive Ed Cavanough said. 'Our analysis shows that if the Port Pirie smelter were to close, the town's population could drop by around 2,000 people – that's 11 per cent – in the first year alone.' The report claims China's 'aggressive' industrial subsidisation, now likely exceeding its defence spending, is a major driver behind the mounting pressure on Australia's refined metals sector. In 2019, China invested an estimated $407 billion in industrial subsidies, enabling it to produce refined metals at significantly lower costs and flood global markets with cheap products, the report said. 'In the short-term, China's geoeconomic strategy is designed to onshore as much global heavy industrial capacity as possible,' Mr Cavanough said. 'In the longer-term the strategic goal is limiting the viability of critical manufacturing in competitor economies, including Australia. 'This would create a huge long-term economic advantage for China, and hobble Australia's industrial capacity.' Mr Cavanough said other nations are actively responding to these challenges while Australia's current approach of reacting plant by plant is unsustainable. 'Currently, the government is playing industrial whack-a-mole – working with individual refiners to preserve individual plants as they come under threat,' he said. The report urges the Albanese Government to develop a cohesive national strategy to safeguard communities reliant on the industry. Read related topics: China Ties Breaking News England v India: Three talking points Breaking News Israeli PM says to brief army on Gaza war plan
