Racing
Small steps to start Nervous Witness
Former Hong Kong galloper Nervous Witness is about to kick off his Australian campaign.
The Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and J D Hayes have some ambitious plans for Nervous Witness but first they want to see him back in winning form.
Nervous Witness was prepared in Hong Kong by David Hayes before being repatriated at the end of 2024 and joining the Lindsay Park team in Australia.
After four jump-outs – trials, Nervous Witness is ready for his return, and the gelding is expected to make his way to Sydney on Saturday for a benchmark 94 handicap over 1000m at Randwick.
That performance will determine whether the Hayes brothers broaden their horizons with the Group 1 Victorian sprints – the Lightning Stakes (1000m), the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) and the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) all potentially on the table.
Nervous Witness left rivals like Wonder Boy, Treasurethe Moment and Sneaky Sunrise in his wake when recording a seven-length trial win on Thursday, but Ben Hayes warned not to be fooled by the margin.
"As we saw in his trial, he's got a high cruising speed and he's always been a horse that trials very well, so don't let that trick you," Hayes said.
"But for me, it was exciting to see because it looks like he's got that enthusiasm back.
"He was a boom Hong Kong sprinter, he had a great record, but towards the end Dad just felt he had lost him, but we think we've found him again.
"We were able to give him a good break, and they don't get that opportunity in Hong Kong to go out in the paddock.
"He's been here a while. We built him up to the trial stage then tipped him out and built him up again and he's now ready to go to the races.
"There's a nice race in Sydney, a (benchmark) 94 over 1000 metres next Saturday, and he should get in beautifully there.
"If he was to run well, we could back him up in the Lightning Stakes (at Flemington the following week) or in the Oakleigh Plate two weeks later, then there is the Newmarket, and he should get in with no weight."
Lindsay Park have had success in two of the Flemington feature sprints with a horse returning from Hong Kong.
Redkirk Warrior won the Newmarket Handicap first-up 2017 after two spring runs the previous year before returning the following year to win the Lightning-Newmarket double.
"It would be nice to do something similar," Hayes said.
"Redkirk Warrior was a bit younger as this guy is an eight-year-old now, but he's a very fast horse and he loves the straight.
"We're very happy to have him in the stable, that's for sure."
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