Hayes and Nicconi bring down curtain on Lindsay Park link

By Brians Newsflash

Globetrotting trainer David Hayes will look to bring down the curtain on the Lindsay Park era with success on the other side of the world with Nicconi in the July Cup at Newmarket tonight (Saturday, 12.10am AEST), reports The Age.It says: The sale of the famous training establishment in the Adelaide Hills, a key component of the Hayes racing dynasty, came through last week, with Hayes's stable foreman Tony McEvoy and Wayne Mitchell to buy it. The property set up by Hayes's father Colin, who prep

It says: The sale of the famous training establishment in the Adelaide Hills, a key component of the Hayes racing dynasty, came through last week, with Hayes's stable foreman Tony McEvoy and Wayne Mitchell to buy it. The property set up by Hayes's father Colin, who prepared 98 group 1 winners using it as a base, has been at the centre of Australian racing for more than 40 years with Hayes and his brother Peter following in their father's footsteps.

It has been home to the winners of three Melbourne Cups, three Caulfield Cups, six Cox Plates, two Golden Slippers, and 10 Blue Diamonds but Nicconi will be trying to emulate champion Better Loosen Up, which won the 1990 Japan Cup for Hayes, as an international group 1 winner.

''It is the end of an era and it would be a great way to finish it if Nicconi can win here at Newmarket,'' Hayes said. ''I haven't really thought about it that much but it would be the best way for us to go out of Lindsay Park.''

Hayes has had 76 group 1 winners in a career that has taken him to Hong Kong for a successful stint, but travelling and winning in England would rank near the top of his achievements. He has always followed his father's philosophy that the future belongs to those who plan for it, and it has served him well. Their new training centre at Euroa in Victoria is another step down that path.

''I will still be training from Lindsay Park for a while,'' Hayes said. ''We are a couple of months behind with the track construction at Euroa. It won't be ready until after the spring, and it looks like we will get in there around Christmas.

''I won't be going there until I'm completely happy that everything is ready to go.''

The meticulous Hayes has been pleased with Nicconi since his fourth in the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot a couple of weeks ago. The dual group 1-winning sprinter has settled into his new surroundings at Newmarket and improved with every day.