The Lindsay Park stable is focusing on the long-term potential of their promising juvenile, Hard Kick, as the colt prepares to resume racing at Flemington.
Having secured a successful debut victory in the Listed Talindert Stakes (1100m) at Flemington back in February, Hard Kick is set to compete in the TAB We’re On (1000m) at Flemington this Saturday.
Lindsay Park trainers Ben, Will, and J D Hayes, in discussion with their father David Hayes, who is the principal owner of Hard Kick, opted against running the two-year-old in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) held just a week after his impressive Flemington win.
The runner-up in that race, Zambales, subsequently finished fourth in the Blue Diamond before securing second place in the VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and then embarking on a campaign in Sydney.
Will Hayes commented that bypassing the Blue Diamond was a difficult choice at the time, but the team is encouraged by Hard Kick’s development during his time away from racing.
“He’s like an 18-year-old growing into a 20-year-old’s body,” Hayes stated.
“He has naturally strengthened and developed, and he’s now ready for his three-year-old season. We weren’t entirely comfortable with the quick backup for a two-year-old, and as a result, he has emerged as a terrific product, and that’s all that mattered.”
“It was a collective decision, and it certainly helps when the principal owner is David Hayes himself. It was very much an internal discussion, and we followed our established procedures, receiving excellent guidance from Dr. David McKellar, an outstanding veterinarian at Lindsay Park.”
This relatively new 1000m race on the Flemington program has previously seen winners such as Giga Kick (2022), First Settler (2024), and Shining Smile last year.
Giga Kick went on to claim The Everest in Sydney following two further victories, while First Settler finished second in the Poseidon Stakes down the Flemington straight before winning the Danehill Stakes.
Hayes mentioned that the recent win of Cruiserweight at Caulfield last Saturday has provided the team with additional confidence heading into Hard Kick’s return, noting that the colt secured a jump-out victory over Cruiserweight at Werribee on July 3.
He explained that the Saturday race was planned to give Hard Kick a competitive run before the early-season three-year-old races commence.
Hayes indicated that the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) on August 15 and the Group 3 H D F McNeil Stakes (1200m), both at Caulfield and scheduled for two weeks later, are the probable next targets for Hard Kick.
“We’re going to get a run under his belt, which was our intention, as he had a good, long break,” Hayes commented.
“The Vain, the McNeil, will all be races we consider going forward, but we believe he’s come up incredibly well, and his trial form has been validated by Cruiserweight’s dominant win.”
Betting on the TAB We’re On is now open with many Australian betting sites offering competitive racing odds.