David Hayes is a son of legendary Australian trainer Colin Hayes. He took out his own licence to train in 1990 and quickly established a top-class reputation across a five-year span, thanks to 31 Group 1 scores, his domination of the trainer titles in Melbourne and Adelaide and famous victories in the Japan Cup and Melbourne Cup. He relocated to Hong Kong in 1996 and, during what proved to be his first spell in Hong Kong, Hayes was champion trainer on two occasions and established his position as a top-four trainer, notching 458 wins across 10 seasons; his major wins included the Hong Kong Sprint and the Hong Kong Derby. He returned to Australia in 2005 and advanced his Lindsay Park operation to greater heights; he has won majors along the way with the likes of Miss Finland, Fields Of Omagh, Redkirk Warrior, Nicconi and Criterion, and he has achieved a record six wins in the renowned two-year-old race, the Blue Diamond Stakes. Hayes formed a partnership with his nephew Tom Dabernig in 2014, and in 2016 that expanded to include his son, Ben Hayes. He is the first trainer in Hong Kong’s professional era to return to train in the city, having commenced his second spell in 2020/21. Hayes returned 47 wins throughout the 2023/24 season and, in that campaign, he also saddled his 600th winner in Hong Kong. He went on to score 61 wins the following season, a personal best during his second stint in Hong Kong. He scored 56 wins in the 2025/26 season, including Horse of the Year Ka Ying Rising’s eight consecutive wins, which included five Group 1 successes, namely The Everest, Hong Kong Sprint and a clean sweep of the Hong Kong Speed Series for the second year running. He also saddled his 700th Hong Kong winner during that campaign with China Win. Achievements:Hong Kong Champion Trainer (1997/98 & 1998/99); 8x Melbourne Champion Trainer; 9x Adelaide Champion Trainer; Australian Racing Hall of Fame inductee (2008); only Australian trainer to win the Japan Cup (1990 Better Loosen Up); first Australian trainer to achieve 300 wins in a season (1994). Notable Wins Include:Hong Kong Derby (2003 Elegant Fashion), Hong Kong Sprint (2002 All Thrills Too, 2024 & 2025 Ka Ying Rising), Stewards’ Cup (1997 Smashing Pumpkin, 2000 Resfa), Centenary Sprint Cup (2025 & 2026 Ka Ying Rising), Chairman’s Sprint Prize (2002 Charming City, 2025 & 2026 Ka Ying Rising), Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1999 Hunting Lad, 2025 & 2026 Ka Ying Rising), Hong Kong Classic Cup (2025 Rubylot), The Everest (2025 Ka Ying Rising), Melbourne Cup (1994 Jeune), Caulfield Cup (1993 Fraar, 2006 Tawqeet, 2017 Boom Time), Cox Plate (1990 Better Loosen Up, 2006 Fields Of Omagh), Australian Cup (1991 Better Loosen Up, 2009 Niconero, 2015 Spillway, 2018 & 2019 Harlem, 2020 Fifty Stars), Blue Diamond Stakes (1991 Canonise, 1995 Principality, 2006 Nadeem, 2007 Sleek Chassis, 2008 Rean, 2017 Catchy), Golden Slipper (2006 Miss Finland), Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1995 Jeune, 2015 Criterion), Lightning Stakes (2010 Nicconi, 2018 Redkirk Warrior), G2 Premier Bowl (2024 Ka Ying Rising, 2025 Tomodachi Kokoroe), G2 Jockey Club Sprint (2024 & 2025 Ka Ying Rising), G2 Sprint Cup (2025 & 2026 Ka Ying Rising), G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup (2026 Storm Rider), G3 Sha Tin Vase (2024 Ka Ying Rising), G3 National Day Cup (2021 & 2022 Super Wealthy). Hong Kong Career Wins (at start of 2026/27 season):724 (win strike rate: 8.8%).
