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Little Brose Powers to Blue Diamond Victory

Son of Per Incanto scores his first group 1 win.

Little Brose takes the Blue Diamond Stakes at Sandown Racecourse

Little Brose takes the Blue Diamond Stakes at Sandown Racecourse

Mark Gatt

Ben and JD Hayes continued a long family tradition when talented colt Little Brose produced an ultra-impressive performance to win the Blue Diamond Stakes (G1) at Sandown Racecourse Feb. 25, handing the latest members of the Hayes dynasty their second group 1 victory.

The Blue Diamond Stakes is a race that has been synonymous with the Hayes family, with father David having saddled six winners in the contest, while their grandfather Colin sent out three victors of the premier Victorian race for 2-year-olds.

Understandably, Ben and JD were not taking for granted the gravitas of yesterday's win with the former telling Racing.com he was delighted to be able to add to the family's long history in the race.

"I'm thrilled for the whole team. It's good to keep that family tradition going and win Blue Diamonds," said Hayes. "I've got adrenaline, I'm just shaking. I really felt like he was good enough to win, I felt like vomiting all day.

"It was a beautiful ride from Michael (Dee). For Little Brose to win so impressively, he's just such an exciting horse."

Little Brose wins the 2023 Blue Diamond Stakes at Sandown<br>
ridden by Michael Dee and trained by Ben & JD Hayes
Photo: Mark Gatt
Ben and JD Hayes celebrate Little Brose's victory in the Blue Diamond Stakes

Little Brose has been steadily building a brilliant record, finishing second in the Maribyrnong Plate (G3) on debut, before breaking his maiden in the Merson Cooper Stakes later in November.

After a short spell, the son of Per Incanto returned this preparation with a second-place finish behind Barber in the Blue Diamond Prelude (G3).

Ridden by regular partner Dee, Little Brose was settled in midfield and found gaps at the right time to hit the front with 200 meters left to travel, eventually coming away for a length victory over Don Corelone, who did well to finish second after hitting trouble in running.

Providing a cherry on top of a brilliant day for the Lindsay Park team, Arkansaw Kid completed a memorable race for Ben and JD Hayes, finishing third a further long head away, while Western Australian raider Brave Halo finished fourth.

Pre-race favorite Barber was always near the back and was never able to get involved, eventually finishing a disappointing ninth.

Ben Hayes revealed that he and his brother re-grouped at the end of last season to discuss how they could improve their training process, including their juveniles.

"We got our 2-year-olds slightly wrong and we changed a couple of things and I think our results have spoken for themselves," Hayes said.

"That's our seventh individual winner and most of them have been listed and group races so we improved on that. I think it is huge going forward. Very excited and thrilled for my whole family.

"We work so hard and to do it in our second year of training as a partnership, it's a big thrill."

Purchased by her trainers for AU$200,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale last year, Little Brose is the sixth named foal out of U.S.-bred mare Mohegan Sky (Straight Man), herself a half sister to stakes race winner Vous and to stakes placegetters Deities Day and Seattle Mission.