TRAINER David Hayes yesterday exorcised the ill-luck that had plagued his spring carnival in spectacular style with a longshot Emirates Stakes win by All American, reports the Sunday Age.It says: While Hayes and the entire's part-owners hit the jackpot in the $1 million race, however, the final day of the Flemington carnival belonged to one horse - All Silent.In an astonishing performance, All Silent laid claims to being among the best sprinters in the world and is likely to get the chance to co
TRAINER David Hayes yesterday exorcised the ill-luck that had plagued his spring carnival in spectacular style with a longshot Emirates Stakes win by All American, reports the Sunday Age.
It says: While Hayes and the entire's part-owners hit the jackpot in the $1 million race, however, the final day of the Flemington carnival belonged to one horse - All Silent.
In an astonishing performance, All Silent laid claims to being among the best sprinters in the world and is likely to get the chance to confirm that rating when he lines up alongside Australian sprinters Apache Cat and horse of the year Scenic Blast in the group 1 Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin on December 13.
An elated trainer Grahame Begg said: ''In international racing, you're always going to come up against some pretty smart horses, but he's a pretty special horse. We've got to see how he gets through [yesterday's run], but it would be nice to get there.''
Incredibly, All Silent was purchased by Begg's father Neville and sent to Hong Kong to race in 2006 but the horse refused to settle into his new surroundings and was eventually sent home. His name was changed from Chiu Shan Elite to All Silent and his ownership changed also with Neville Begg managing the new syndicate.
Begg's father did more than find the horse for his son. He also found yesterday's rider, Nicholas Hall, who won his second group 1 race after a month earlier winning the Turnbull Stakes on Efficient at the same track.
''Dad had been watching him and said he could ride really well, but he'd been pretty quiet,'' Begg said. ''But we had a few refusals - three or four refusals believe it or not - and so we offered the mount to Nick and he's two [rides] for two [wins] and has not made a wrong move on the horse.
''He's just a very patient rider,'' Begg said. ''He suited the horse very, very well. He's just clicked with him.''
It was 12 months ago to the day that All Silent announced himself as an elite performer by storming to victory in the $1 million Emirates Stakes over 1600 metres. But yesterday's effort to leave behind the best sprinters in the land stamped him as a horse of rare quality. ''You'd be happy to get one like him in a lifetime, so I'm pretty happy,'' Begg said.