Lindsay Park chase maiden Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes win

The Hayes brothers — Ben, Will and JD — are hoping that Saturday’s racing at Flemington may deliver them a Group 1 prize their iconic stable has not yet claimed.

Their father David Hayes famously dominated Derby Day in his first year in charge of Lindsay Park, training six winners including a pair of Group 1 victories. Now based in Hong Kong, he will watch from afar as his sons send out a strong team across the card.

The most important of those runners is Tycoon Star, who contests the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) — a stallion-making race that routinely shapes the future breeding landscape.

Since the Coolmore moved to the opening day of Melbourne Cup week in 2006, it has become the key target for Australia’s fastest three-year-olds. Lindsay Park is still chasing their first victory in the race, but Tycoon Star has been built towards it all spring.

As a juvenile, the colt stamped himself with a straight-track win in the Maribyrnong Plate and followed up with a placing in the Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m).

This preparation has seen him run second in the Vain Stakes, then progress to the McNeil Stakes and two runs down the Flemington straight over 1100m.

Ben Hayes said the entire preparation has revolved around peaking this weekend.

“It has been the race that we’ve wanted to end up at,” Hayes said.

“From his past couple of starts, punters have probably gone from him being a chance to not being good enough.

“He had a trial last week. He went really well, and I think he will enjoy a little more give in the track.

“He’s a horse that could surprise. He’s good enough, we just need to make sure he does things right through the race and finishes off strong.”

Tycoon Star faces several familiar rivals on Saturday, including Mcgaw, My Gladiola, Tentyris and Legacy Bound. Hayes believes the four-week gap and a tweak in headgear — switching from winkers to visors — will help extract improvement.

“We always wanted to go a month into the race with a trial, which is exactly what we’ve done,” Hayes said.

“I’ve seen a lot of horses win at big odds in big races down the straight and he’s a winner down the straight, so he can certainly surprise.”

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