Chris Hayes

Principal Trainers: Kevin Prendergast, Jim Gorman, Paul Deegan, Ado McGuinness

Chris HayesNotable Wins:

  • Carlingford Stakes (Shimmering Moment 2010)
  • Tattersalls Ireland Sale Stakes (Stand To Attention 2010, Choose Me 2008)
  • Irish Stallion Farms EBF Autumn Fillies Handicap (Vivacious Vivienne 2010)
  • Topaz Mile EBF Handicap (Ask Jack 2010, Celtic Dane 2008)
  • Ulster Derby (Celtic Dane 2010, Temlett 2007)
  • Nijinsky Stakes (Rose Hip 2010)
  • Glencairn Stakes (Recharge 2010)
  • Woodlands Stakes (Velvet Flicker 2010)
  • Joe McGrath EBF Premier Handicap (Toufan Express 2009, Mufradat 2004)
  • Saval Beg Stakes (Hindu Kush 2009)
  • Marble Hill Stakes (Wrong Answer 2009)
  • Leopardstown 2,000 Guineas Trial Stakes (Recharge 2009)
  • Dance Design Stakes (Beach Bunny 2008)
  • Belgrave Stakes (Dimenticata 2008)
  • Rockingham Handicap (Masta Plasta 2008)
  • Tetrarch Stakes (Captain Chaos 2008)
  • Ulster Oaks Fillies Handicap (Aqraan 2007)
  • Oliver Freaney & Company September Premier Handicap (King Of Tory 2006)
  • Derrinstown Stud EBF Birdcatcher Premier Nursery (Taqseem 2005)
  • Budweiser Guinness Premier Handicap (Deerpark 2005)
  • Guinness Gold Cup Premier Handicap (Blessyourpinksox 2005)
  • totescoop6 Stakes Heritage Handicap (Ashkal Way 2005)
  • Michael McNamara & Co. Builders Premier Handicap (Amourallis 2004)

Early Days

Like so many top Irish jockeys, Chris Hayes began his riding career on the pony racing circuit, riding no less than 66 winners. Having attended RACE on the Curragh, he graduated at the tender age of 16 and was apprenticed to Kevin Prendergast soon after. Success was not long coming his way as on just his second racecourse ride, Hayes gained his first win on the Ger Lynch-trained Anonymity at Bellewstown on July 2nd. That was the start of what was a whirlwind first season in the saddle for Hayes.

A Rapid Ascension

Just over four weeks later, Hayes’ career got the best possible boost when on just his 10th racecourse ride, he partnered the Ger Lyons-trained Amourallis to victory in the valuable Michael McNamara & Co. Builders Premier Handicap at the Galway Festival. Such a high-profile win at a televised meeting resulted in a significant increase in the number of rides that Hayes was offered. He then formed a highly-successful partnership with the Kevin Prendergast-trained Crystal View, winning on three of the four occasions he rode him including two valuable premier nurseries as well as the Goffs Autumn Bonus Race at Naas. He rode his first winner for Lady O’Reilly when partnering Cocorica to victory in an apprentice handicap at the Curragh on October 10th and his first season was rounded off in perfect style when he partnered Mufradat to victory in the valuable Joe McGrath EBF Premier Handicap at the Curragh. In total, Hayes’ first season yielded 8 wins from 84 rides and a total of just over €250,000 in prize money, but the 2005 season would yield even more handsome dividends for the up and coming rider.

Consolidating His Success

The 2005 season started well for Chris as he partnered the Liam McAteer-trained Majestic Times to win a competitive handicap at the Curragh in early-April and Irish Derby weekend in late-June saw him ride two winners over the three day meeting, including the valuable Budweiser Guinness Handicap on the John Gleeson-trained Deerpark. A year after having his first ride on a racecourse, Hayes was back at Bellewstown to ride a fine double for trainer Harry Rogers and on August 10th he rode a treble at Gowran Park. With his popularity growing relentlessly, Hayes was snapped up by English trainer Bryan Ellison to ride the well fancied Ashkal Way in the valuable totescoop6 Heritage Handicap at Beverley. Sent off the heavily backed 2/1 favourite, the horse won comfortably. Back in Ireland he rode the Peter Casey-trained Blessyourpinksox to win the Guinness Gold Cup at Tralee before gaining another notable win on the Kevin Prendergast-trained Taqseem in the valuable Birdcatcher Nursery at Naas. His magnificent second season was capped by a runaway win in the apprentice championship having ridden no less 38 winners in Ireland.

Defending His Title

2006 saw Chris Hayes enjoy continued success. Following a somewhat slow start to the season, the likes of La Motta (3 wins), Seven Gold Rings (2 wins) and Monahullan Prince (2 wins) helped him regain the winning groove. In August he struck up a profitable partnership with the William Fitzpatrick-trained Crossing, winning two races within a fortnight including a competitive handicap at the Curragh. In September, Hayes and King Of Tory gained compensation for two near misses in premier handicaps at Galway and the Curragh when winning the Oliver Freaney & Company September Premier Handicap at Leopardstown, his most valuable win of the entire season. The win of Luck Wud Have It in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Premier Nursery at Leopardstown in November wrapped up his year in ideal style and he was once again crowned leading apprentice at the conclusion of the season having gained a total of 33 wins.

Lady O’Reilly Comes Calling

The 2007 season started off on an excellent note for Chris Hayes as it was announced that he was to act as the retained jockey for Lady O’Reilly. The new partnership combined for their first success with the win of the Kevin Prendergast-trained Extraterrestrial in a maiden at Cork in early-April. Hayes came agonisingly close to gaining his first Group 1 win when riding the Kevin Prendergast-trained, Lady O’Reilly-owned Dimenticata in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, failing by just a neck to overhaul Finsceal Beo. While that close call was disappointing for Hayes, he enjoyed weekend to remember at Down Royal the following month, riding the Willie Mullins-trained Temlett to win the Ulster Derby and the Prendergast-trained Aqraan to win the Ulster Oaks. What made the former win all the more was that it resulted in Hayes riding out his 3 lb claim, making him a fully-fledged jockey. While those were his only big race wins of the season, he continued to ride consistently well, finishing the season with another solid tally of 35 wins from 538 rides.

Loss Of Claim Fails To Slow His Progress

2008 was an important season for Hayes as, even though he was always expected to continue his success having lost his claim, it is always a key period for every young jockey and Hayes responded in likeable fashion to the added pressure on his shoulders. As well as maintaining a similar level of success that he had in previous seasons, there was a notable increase in the number of big-race wins he recorded. The first of those successes came in the Group 3 Tetrarch Stakes at the Curragh on the Edward Lynam-trained Captain Chaos in early-May and Hayes went on to have a July to remember, winning the valuable Rockingham Handicap on the Dandy Nichols-trained, Lady O’Reilly-owned Masta Plasta, before gaining his first Listed race success for Lady O’Reilly when riding Dimenticata to win the Belgrave Stakes at Fairyhouse a week later. The following week, Hayes gained the most lucrative win of his career at that point when winning the highly-valuable Galway Mile Handicap at the Galway Festival on the Kevin Prendergast-trained Celtic Dane, making up for a luckless run on the same horse in the corresponding race the previous year. Another lucrative win came the following month in the Tattersalls Ireland Sale Stakes at the Curragh on the Kevin Prendergast-trained Choose Me. He rounded off his season in terms of big-race wins by taking the spoils for the Listed Dance Design Stakes on the Kevin Prendergast-trained, Lady O’Reilly-owned Beach Bunny. At the conclusion of the season, Hayes had recorded a career-best total of 44 winners, which well and truly announced that Chris Hayes was destined to remain at the upper end of the Irish jockeys table for many years to come.

Life As A Fully-Fledged Jockey

2009 was another successful season for Hayes and he started the campaign as he intended to continue by riding the Kevin Prendergast-trained Recharge to success in the Group 3 Leopardstown 2,000 Guineas Trial Stakes in March. A couple of Listed race wins soon followed, with him riding the Kevin Prendergast-trained Wrong Answer to success in the Listed Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh and the Dandy Nicholls-trained Hindu Kush to win the Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown. In June Hayes had another very close call in Group 1 company in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on Derby weekend, finishing an agonising short-head second on the Kevin Prendergast-trained, Lady O’Reilly-owned Beach Bunny. September proved to be another profitable month, mostly thanks to his partnership with the Ado McGuinness-trained Toufan Express, with him winning a valuable handicap at the Listowel Harvest Festival prior to recording an even more valuable success in the Joe McGrath EBF Premier Handicap at the Curragh. At the conclusion of the campaign, Hayes had ridden 34 domestic winners, which was a more than satisfactory haul.

2010 Brings Further Success

2010 was another rock-solid season for Hayes, with him enjoying his usual quantity of success in Listed races, winning the Woodlands Stakes at Naas on the Kevin Prendergast-trained Velvet Flicker, the Glencairn Stakes at Leopardstown on the aforementioned Recharge, the Nijinsky Stakes at Leopardstown on the Joe Murphy-trained Rose Hip and the Carlingford Stakes at Dundalk on the James Hartnett-trained Shimmering Moment. As had also often been the case before, valuable handicaps also proved to be a happy hunting ground for Hayes, with him riding the Prendergast-trained Celtic Dane to win the Ulster Derby at Down Royal, the Joe Murphy-trained Ask Jack to win the highly-valuable Topaz Mile EBF Handicap at the Galway Festival and the Donal Kinsella-trained Vivacious Vivienne to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Autumn Fillies Handicap at Leopardstown. August saw him once again hit the Group 1 crossbar, with him riding the Kevin Prendergast-trained Kissable to finish a close third in the Moyglare Stud Stakes.

Hayes continues to ride at the top of his game and that elusive Group 1 win is surely not too far away. Whether that success comes sooner or later, Hayes is likely to remain one of the top jockeys in the Irish weighing room for many years to come.

Info supplied by Horse Racing Ireland - Updated January 2011