Speaker 1He's just joined beside me, David Hayes, and then we'll also have Zach Purton joining us live here on set. David, good morning to you.
Speaker 2Nice to be on the show, good morning.
Speaker 1Good to have you back here in Sydney. You're getting used to this now, getting back here to Sydney and having three, four hundred people come and watch your horse trial?
Speaker 2Yes, it was quite taken back, because it is only a trial, and to see the interest in him, it was quite exciting actually.
Speaker 3I want to wait for Zach. Zach's going to join us in a moment. I want to do what we did last year, because last year, the feeling must be different for you personally, now knowing the process you have to go through to get this horse to the big show in a couple of weeks.
Speaker 2Yes, look, it was a bit of a shock he got beaten in the trial last year, but I probably had him a little underprepared for it. This year, with the very long grass and the slow ground, it was good to see that he got through it. I've seen him trial better, but I know he'll come on a lot for it. And what you've got to remember is they're probably running four seconds slower than race pace, and you know he runs records on race days.
Speaker 3Zach Purton, good morning to you, mate. How are you? Good to be back in Sydney? It is, Dave, yeah. And good to be back on the back of a chook's premiership.
Speaker 4That's supposed to be nice to watch on the weekend. Well, I was riding at the races, so I didn't actually get to see the whole game. I got home just in time to watch the last eight minutes, and that was an exciting end of the game, but I'm glad we hung on.
Speaker 3I just was talking to David before you jumped in about just how, you know, here's three, four hundred people here in Sydney. It might be a different story in Hong Kong, because it's the only show in town. They live and breathe it. But to have this many people here in Sydney on a work day as well, with a storm around this morning, must give you a lot of pride.
Speaker 4Well, it does, and I think he's become one of those horses globally that people want to tune in to watch. It doesn't matter where he is. You know, you set your alarm clock to get up early in the morning to watch him, or if you're out with your friends at the pub or dinner or whatever, you tune in. Yeah. It's great that he's got that support. Obviously, coming down here last year has helped that in Australia, but globally, I get a lot of messages every week about this horse. He's extremely popular.
Speaker 3Now, David mentioned the long grass. Got through it, though, and you're
Speaker 4happy with how he felt? Listen, it was an improvement on last year. He really hated it last year, and he handled himself on the track a little bit better this year, but he does seem to labour in it. He pulled up having a bigger blow after this barra trial than what he did in his race in Hong Kong, so he just seems to get to Australia and get away from us a little bit. He just doesn't. He doesn't like this type of ground, but it's unfamiliar for him. You know, it's different if you're down here every week and you're training on it, you get used to it. He's just not used to it.
Speaker 3Last year, we sat in this van and we watched the trial back, and it was much different for you two last year because it was a journey you hadn't been on, but now, with hindsight and how it's unfolded, you seem a lot more relaxed, the two of you, than when we spoke this time last year. I know this is the iPad, and we've got a lot of reflection with the sun, but I want to play this trial, and, Zach, I want you to talk us through. Your thoughts here on his trial, play by play, you know, furlong by furlong. He jumps extremely well. Like, do you feel like that's not going to be a problem for him at all with these gates at Rarewick come the big race?
Speaker 4No, he's been through the gates a couple of times here now last year and again once this year, so he's more familiar with them, but I did like the way that he got out the gate, showed that early speed, got into stride, and then, you know, from this point on around the corner, because he's so wide, he just starts to get a little bit lost. He starts to switch off a little bit, and you can see he's just ambling along, taking it easy. When Ninja started to come to him, he obviously picked
Speaker 2up a little bit and started to go with him, but you can see he's there, he's all over the joint, and, you know, he's on the. Good. His trial was excellent. If you own Ninja, be very happy. I know he's got a lot of owners.
Speaker 3Well, we said that to start. We thought. We had a little bet before the trial. We said, gee, one of these micro-shear horses is a good bit of marketing there, you know, or we beat the world's best horse. When you say he's often gone, Zach, how far. Like, if that had been a race and we were going down the side there, you know, a lot about, you know, wait for the rise at Rarewick, cuddle them. Do you have to get going on him a bit earlier?
Speaker 4No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Speaker 3Do you have to get more work into him because he's had a little blow tonight?
Speaker 2Look, he had a big blow, not a little blow, and, look, we'll just stick to his routine and probably do a little bit stronger gallop. If he'd, you know, if he'd won the trial by three, four legs easing down, we've got him there. He's just not quite there at the moment. We'll sharpen the pencil and he'll be a different horse on May's day.
Speaker 3Why do you feel this horse. I don't like the phrase getting away from you because it feels like you're losing control, but he more enjoys himself when he comes here. Like, we saw that vision of him coming straight off the float, eating grass straight away. He's just, you know, he's like Stanley, straight into the tucker, not interested in performing. So why does he do so good here?
Speaker 2It's a relaxed environment. He's got the place to himself. It suits him. Hong Kong, there's a thousand horses working around him, literally, and he gets a bit zingy before he works. Here, he's. I love watching it. He's calm and relaxed, and I think it's a positive, really, but he's more on his toes and more on. on in Hong Kong than he is probably at Canterbury, and that means we've just got to work in that. improvise a little bit with his work and do a little bit more.
Speaker 3Does he have a look around, still down the side, past those advertising screens? Like, or does he feel like he knows he remembers where he is from last time, or just too much has happened between now and then?
Speaker 4I think it's familiar for him. He knows where he is, but I do think he is having a look and he is switching off, and he knows he's in trial mode, not race mode, whereas, you know, race day, we'll be back over towards the other fence, and. and, you know, he'll be focused on the rail.
Speaker 3We had a text come through on the text line. Can you ask the guys, he was sweating up prior to the race, so under his saddlecloth, and a listener just wants to know, what does that mean, David? Is that just nervous energy?
Speaker 2Yeah, he's. that means he's a little bit above himself, a bit fresh, and the idea of the trial was to get that sweat out of him. Last year, he had a much bigger sweat, which was more concerning. I would say race day, he'll be calm and wouldn't be sweating like this. It's, you know, he just means that there's improvement in him.
Speaker 3Okay, and anything worse than today in terms of heaviness or track, is that frightening for the two of you, or bring it on, from what you've seen and experienced today, and going through his breeding? Like, is there any chink in his armour?
Speaker 2I haven't found it. He doesn't change strides. Like that, I take that as a positive today. He didn't change legs, as Zach said. That means he's going pretty easy. Yeah. When he changes legs is when Zach's serious on him.
Speaker 3Because I'm trying to bring some spice into this. I had Kieran Marr on the program while you guys were doing your media call. I said, Kieran, you're nervous? He said, please. From what I saw, I'm not nervous at all for my trial. So I'm trying to sort of, you know, we're two footy coaches going head-to-head. They'll have to be pretty good to beat your bloke. He's the best horse you've trained.
Speaker 2Yeah, he by far. He's probably the best horse on his day that I've seen. He has, if he brings what we know he does 21 times in a row, if he brings that, you know, Tempted needs to probably improve on what she's done. But she's faultless. She's a brilliant filly on the way up and hasn't reached her top. And we've only just reached our top. So, you know, we're 12 points higher than we were on world ratings than last year. So that really means he has improved.
Speaker 3Any fighting words from you, Zach? Can we get something out of you? To stir him up. Are you going to get to the top of the rise and say, see you boys, see you girls. Have a good one.
Speaker 4You know, there's a little bit of interest when Chad Schofield was around the gates over the fence, you know, making his presence felt, telling me to make sure he's fit. So he's obviously very confident. And his dad was watching him pre-parade. But no, she's done an amazing job. And that last start when she won here at Randwick, she's a track and distance specialist, was very special. She's in fantastic form as is Ninja here. Jolly star is not far off us. You know, it's going to be another great race again. It certainly is.
Speaker 3And we're chatting with David Hayes and Zach Purton live at Randwick. Before we wrap it up, you're here because there's a lot of money on the line and you might be here for future years because money is fantastic. We love all spending it. But at what point now do you start to think this is bigger than money? What is going on in both of your lives and your owner's life? Because he is now the world's best horse. He is the best rated horse we've ever seen here in Australia. We're so privileged. We're so privileged that he gets to be here in Sydney. When do you start thinking, I'd like to win a race in Japan? I'd like to win at Royal Ascot. Gee, what about, could we get him to America? Could we take him to Melbourne? Because those are the things. I know money is, you know, you need it. We all need it. But yeah, he's sort of, he's turning into something bigger than money, isn't he?
Speaker 2Yeah, he's, we're all so proud of him and has made, as a mature trainer, to get a horse of this class. It's just such a privilege. It's such a privilege. So we have to preserve him, look after him, respect him. I would love to take him everywhere, but the horse comes first. If he's running, he's going to win. Running in the Everest, it's pretty hard to go to Ascot without torching him. And this is the time of year. Everyone needs a holiday. So we try to give him a holiday around Ascot time. So I think we'll copy and paste. This Everest is pretty special. Yeah, no. The money is good, but it was more the thrill of showcasing him down here last year and showing people how good he is.
Speaker 3And look, as David said, money's good. It's great, Zach. But do you want to be up in the irons roaring in a crowd in England or Japan? Do you think? Is it a point in your career tour or a moment where you'd like to show just the rest of the world how good he is?
Speaker 4Yeah, listen, that always sounds very romantic, doesn't it? Just being able to pick off the best race in the world to go around. But it's nice to own one street in Double Bay, but it's better to own the block.
Speaker 3Very well said. Zach Purton, I love that. Gentlemen. So you're on a plane tonight, back home. You're going back as well tonight?
Speaker 2No, I'm here for the duration. You're staying. Yeah, all right.
Speaker 3Did you stay last time or did you go home? You stayed the whole time, right? I stayed, yeah. So you're looking for some nice places to enjoy some food, some wine, or is it a bit toey?
Speaker 2Oh, no, no. I'll definitely be eating up. Okay, perfect. I like it. Getting beat in that troll won't put me off my feet.
Speaker 3No, very good. Well, maybe our listeners can send through some options and offers for David Hayes. We'll see you back soon. So you will fly in. The Friday before? Yes, correct. All right, perfect.
Speaker 4I'll let David run the ball
Speaker 3between now and then. Okay, perfect. All right. So, yeah, I like it. We appreciate you coming on, gentlemen. Go and get some rest and enjoy. Thank you, David Hayes. Thank you. Zach Purton, ladies and gentlemen. And we will take a break here live at Royal Randwick. So for those that are wanting to know a bit of a podcast or whatnot, we will be, that will be up online, Apple, and also Spotify very soon. Or if you're listening around the country on Radio Tab or Racing HQ, we'll be back in We'll be back very, very soon.
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