Blinkers on as Public Attention goes for Hong Kong Classic Mile this Sunday

[Wandering Eyes]

David Hayes is applying blinkers to Public Attention (NZ) (Written Tycoon) for Sunday’s (1 February) HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m), a move the trainer believes will help the quality grey colt reach another gear when the Four-Year-Old Classic Series begins. 

Public Attention placed fifth at Group 1 level in Australia pre-import, and has made three starts in Hong Kong – finishing in the top four each time. This weekend’s contest sees him rise to a mile at Sha Tin with the addition of blinkers, which he wore to victory in the 2025 G3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick in Sydney.

The Written Tycoon galloper is owned by Karen Lo, who also races Cap Ferrat, winner of the 2025 HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m). She also owns two-time Group 2-winner Straight Arron.

Hayes said: “I think he’s been crying out for blinkers. I think he’s primed to run well in what is a really, really competitive race – probably the best this season. He has very good form in Australia. It’ll be first-time blinkers. We’ve resisted putting them on, but we’ve saved it for this race. He raced in them in Australia.”

One of the 83-rated Public Attention’s peaks saw him finish fifth to Private Life in the 2024 G1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield in Melbourne. He also finished midfield in New Zealand’s lucrative slot race at Ellerslie in Auckland, The NZB Kiwi (1500m), last March.

Public Attention wore cheek pieces when second and third, respectively, in his first two appearances for Hayes, who also saddles Akashvani in Sunday’s Hong Kong Classic Mile. Luke Ferraris rides Akashvani, while Brenton Avdulla is aboard Public Attention.

Hayes has previously won the Hong Kong Classic Mile (formerly known as the Hong Kong Classic Trial) twice with Resfa (1999) and Charming City (2001), while last Sunday (25 January), the world’s best sprinter Ka Ying Rising matched Silent Witness’ 17-race unbeaten streak in Hong Kong for Hayes with another jaw-dropping success in the HK$13 million G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m).

“Ka Ying Rising has pulled up really well. He’s eaten all of his food. It’s full steam ahead to the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (G1, 1400m). We’ll be building him up quietly with one trial beforehand, and he won’t go to Conghua. I’ll keep him here with me,” Hayes said.

The Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup is worth HK$13 million and is run on 22 February as the middle leg of the three-race Hong Kong Speed Series, which finishes with the HK$24 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) on FWD Champions Day (26 April).

Sagacious Life, Little Paradise, Invincible Ibis, Beauty Bolt, Crimson Flash, Infinite Resolve, Patch Of Cosmo, Winfield, Top Dragon, Circuit Grand Slam, Shanwah and Windlord are also entered for Sunday’s Hong Kong Classic Mile. Reserves for the race are Pope Cody, Daryl Flash, Aerodynamics, Natural Numbers, Uranus Star, California Waves, Fivefortwo and The Golden Knight.

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