Is Marble Arch bound for the 2025 All-Star Mile? Big decision looms for Team Hayes after mare’s Blamey Stakes win at Flemington

Monday morning means a meeting for the Hayes brothers after Marble Arch stormed to a comfortable Blamey Stakes win.

Marble Arch, ridden by Michael Dee, returns to the mounting yard after winning the Blamey Stakes at Flemington. Picture: George Sal / Racing Photos

Monday morning means a meeting for the Hayes brothers after Marble Arch stormed to a comfortable Blamey Stakes win.

Winning the Blamey Stakes gave Marble Arch a ticket into Saturday’s All-Star Mile should the Lindsay Park trio decide to head that way.

The Hayes clan already has the short-priced favourite Mr Brightside in the All-Star Mile field along with prolific winner Rise At Dawn, who qualified for the rich race with his win in a Listed race last month.

JD Hayes said the stable would assess Marble Arch’s recovery from her maiden stakes win before deciding whether to give her a chance at Group 1 level.

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“That sounds like a Monday problem,” JD Hayes, who trains Marble Arch in partnership with his brothers Will and JD, said.

“We’ll sit around and discuss, and see how she pulls up.

“But it’ll certainly be on the cards.”

Marble Arch’s previous best wins were two successes in Benchmark 100 grade in the summer but the five-year-old comfortably handled Group 1 winners Attrition and Zardozi in her two-length win.

Marble Arch wins the Group 2 @tabcomau Blamey Stakes and gains a run in the All-Star Mile! ⭐️

Congratulations to the Hayes Team and Mick Dee 🙌

🎥 @7horseracing#AusGuineas#RacingSpectacularpic.twitter.com/dfD9QNMt06

— Victoria Racing Club (@FlemingtonVRC) March 1, 2025

• Five straight wins, two at HQ: Revelare rolls on at Flemington

Ben Hayes said the manner of Marble Arch’s Blamey Stakes win demanded his vote to run the Per Incanto mare in the All-Star Mile.

“If she pulls up well it won’t be a hard decision, she’s a mare in form,” he said.

“She won that quite well and she was impressive so we’ll definitely be considering it.”

Marble Arch’s triumph continued the Hayes family’s long tradition of winning the Australian Cup lead-up race.

Marble Arch gave the current Lindsay Park custodians their first Blamey Stakes win while their father David, now training in Hong Kong, won the race six times, three in partnership with nephew Tom Dabernig.

Lindsay Park founder and Hayes family patriarch Colin Hayes claimed the weight-for-age event three times.