‘Crying out for blinkers’: Hayes makes key call for Public Attention

David Hayes is applying blinkers to Public Attention for Sunday’s Hong Kong Classic Mile, a move the trainer believes will help the quality grey colt reach another gear when the Four-Year-Old Classic Series begins.

Public Attention placed fifth at Group 1 level in Australia pre-import, and has made three starts in Hong Kong – finishing in the top four each time. This weekend’s contest sees him rise to a mile at Sha Tin with the addition of blinkers, which he wore to victory in the 2025 G3 Eskimo Prince Stakes at Royal Randwick in Sydney.

The Written Tycoon galloper is owned by Karen Lo, who also races Cap Ferrat, winner of the 2025 BMW Hong Kong Derby. She also owns two-time Group 2-winner Straight Arron.

Hayes said: “I think he’s been crying out for blinkers. I think he’s primed to run well in what is a really, really competitive race – probably the best this season. He has very good form in Australia. It’ll be first-time blinkers. We’ve resisted putting them on, but we’ve saved it for this race. He raced in them in Australia.”

One of the 83-rated Public Attention’s peaks saw him finish fifth to Private Life in the 2024 G1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield in Melbourne. He also finished midfield in New Zealand’s lucrative slot race at Ellerslie in Auckland, The NZB Kiwi (1500m), last March.

 Public Attention wore cheek pieces when second and third, respectively, in his first two appearances for Hayes, who also saddles Akashvani in Sunday’s Hong Kong Classic Mile. Luke Ferraris rides Akashvani, while Brenton Avdulla is aboard Public Attention.

Akashvani is a three-time winner in Hong Kong, highlighted by a last-start three-length demolition. The Alpine Eagle gelding is well-versed in racing in Hong Kong with 13 starts to his name, but like Public Attention, faces the 1600m at Sha Tin for the first time.

“That win got him in the race. He’s bred to get a mile, and he’s in form. We’re looking forward to it,” Hayes said. “Things weren’t going right. He was probably running short of his distance, and I think that triggered me that he’s probably a 1400 metre-miler. He’s a very good young horse, and he’s likely going to be the on-pace influence of the race.”

Hayes has previously won the Hong Kong Classic Mile (formerly known as the Hong Kong Classic Trial) twice with Resfa (1999) and Charming City (2001), while last Sunday, the world’s best sprinter Ka Ying Rising matched Silent Witness’ 17-race unbeaten streak in Hong Kong for Hayes with another jaw-dropping success in the HK$13 million G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m).

 “Ka Ying Rising has pulled up really well. He’s eaten all of his food. It’s full steam ahead to the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (G1, 1400m). We’ll be building him up quietly with one trial beforehand, and he won’t go to Conghua. I’ll keep him here with me,” Hayes said.