Hayes, Eustace record Hong Kong milestone winners

David Hayes and David Eustace both reached major career destinations at Happy Valley, with Hayes celebrating his 700th Hong Kong winner and Eustace recording his 50th.

Hayes’ milestone wins came in a double, starting with Romantic Son, ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle, in the Class 3 Southorn Handicap (1200m), marking the jockey’s third victory of his three-month Hong Kong stint.

The double was completed when Liveandletlive surged late under Keith Yeung to take the Class 3 O’Brien Handicap (1800m), a performance that has Hayes eyeing the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on March 22.

Eustace’s landmark came when Ragga Bomb, ridden by Hugh Bowman, powered home in the Class 4 Jaffe Handicap (1650m), taking advantage of a fast early pace set by Hayes’ Ka Ying Glory.

Hayes is optimistic about Liveandletlive’s future, saying the horse “will get much better with more racing”.

Both of Hayes’ winners carried his famed Lindsay Park colours, a personal highlight for the trainer, who now sits second on the trainers’ championship leaderboard with 32 wins, just one behind Mark Newnham and one ahead of Caspar Fownes.