The Lindsay Park stable of Ben, Will and J D Hayes has called on a couple of the state’s big-name jockeys to ride two of their three runners in the feature sprint at Flemington.
Blake Shinn is back for his first meeting since his fall at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day when he partners War Machine in the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) on Saturday with Mark Zahra, returning from his winter break having not ridden since Royal Ascot last month, riding Arkansaw Kid.
The third member of the Lindsay Park team in Saturday’s sprint is last start Flemington straight winner Ndola who will be ridden by Jye McNeil.
Lindsay Park is chasing their first win in the Aurie’s Star since So Si Bon took out the race in 2019 when David Hayes, Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig were at the helm.
Ben Hayes revealed it was Shinn’s decision to partner War Machine, one of six rides the jockey has bookings for at his first meeting back.
He said Shinn had ridden both War Machine and Arkansaw Kid in their jump-outs at Flemington last Friday and it was the jockey’s decision to ride War Machine.
“He rode them both in jump-outs last Friday and I don’t think there’s much between them,” Hayes said.
“He knows War Machine well and he’s going back to his old buddy.”
War Machine hasn’t raced since beating three home in the Newmarket Handicap over Saturday’s course and distance in March.
Hayes said the sprinter was afforded a good break after a long campaign last year after joining their stable in late April 2025.
“He lost his way a bit last preparation,” Hayes said.
“He had a long prep. He went to Queensland, freshened, came back, went to The Everest, came back, but just didn’t come up in the autumn.
“He had a long break, and he seems to have come back really well.
“His work at home has been great and seems a happier horse. He’s enjoying his trackwork, so hopefully that converts to some good runs.”
Lindsay Park has made use of their many ‘training bases’ with Arkansaw Kid who spent time at the stable’s Euroa base while also having a stint at Pakenham.
Arkansaw Kid was taken to Traralgon for a jump-out on July 14 before running second in a jump-out at Flemington last week.
“We changed things around with him to keep him thinking,” Hayes said.
“He’s been in work a long time, so it was like changing stables, without changing stables.
“I thought his Traralgon jump-out was good, his jump-out on Friday was great and he’s always been a consistent, good horse, for the stable and is a horse we all love.
“He’s good down the straight, he’s won a couple of Bobbie Lewis’, so he knows what he’s doing.”
Ndola returned off a break to win the Listed Santa Ana Lane Series Final on July 4 and was kept up to the mark with a jump-out victory over War Machine last week.
Hayes said they gave the sprinter the jump-out to keep his fitness levels up as he was going to be four weeks between races.
“He was good fresh when he got away with murder in front and they couldn’t catch him,” Hayes said.
“It’s a step up in class and he’s running against some very good horses, but he deserves to be there.”
