Just one day following the passing of a standout two-year-old from Lindsay Park’s rich legacy, the Hayes family discovered a young horse potentially set to become the stable’s next star performer.
The All Too Hard gelding Hard Kick kicked off his racing journey in style, overpowering his competitors in the $175,000 Listed Talindert Stakes (1100m) which kicked off Saturday’s Black Caviar Lightning card at Flemington.
The success arrived barely 24 hours after the champion filly Miss Finland passed away at 22 years old, and although J D Hayes acknowledged that Hard Kick has some distance to cover to emulate the achievements of the 2006 Golden Slipper victor, he was thrilled to watch the juvenile live up to the team’s high expectations.
“What a thrill, he’s been very well-educated at home and we thought he was pretty good and he won with authority there,” Hayes, who trains in partnership with brothers Ben and Will, said.
“We’re not sure he’s as good as Miss Finland, but he looked pretty good there.”
The Slipper represented one of five Group 1 successes for Miss Finland, with additional victories in the Australian Guineas, Thousand Guineas, VRC Oaks and Storm Queen Stakes under the guidance of David Hayes.
Hard Kick, at $3 odds and originally bought for $30,000 at the Adelaide Magic Millions yearling sale before fetching $140,000 at last year’s Inglis Ready2Race Sale, displayed quick acceleration to take the front and then surged clear to win by 2-3/4 lengths over Zambales in a time of 1:03.90.
Diameter, at $13, finished 1-3/4 lengths further back in third position.
The effort drew strong commendation from rider Damian Lane, who had worked with the colt in trials beforehand and confessed he might need to elevate his assessment of the horse’s ability.
“I thought before today that he was a good horse, but just off the better ones, but off the back of that, he might be right up there,” Lane said.
Hard Kick may now get a chance to accomplish what Miss Finland almost did, as JD Hayes left open the possibility of targeting next Saturday’s Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes, where Miss Finland had placed second.
Entry into the $2 million event would cost a $55,000 late fee since Hard Kick wasn’t initially nominated.
“We’ll keep the option open next week as he did win with head on his chest there, but there’s plenty of options going ahead with this horse. It’s very exciting,” Hayes said.
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