Seven racehorses have died after bushfires swept through one of Australia's most famous racing stables, Lindsay Park in Victoria. The Hayes family's 1,500-acre property suffered up to 90 per cent destruction, including the home of trainer Ben Hayes.
Family head David Hayes, trainer of world champion sprinter Ka Ying Rising, flew back from Hong Kong to assist his sons Ben, JD and Will in evacuating horses. The family managed to rescue 320 horses, but seven were lost—five racehorses on a break from training and two retired horses. One other horse remains in critical condition under veterinary care.
“Every possible measure was taken to protect all the horses and the property under extremely difficult and rapidly changing conditions,” a family statement said. “The priority throughout the event remained the safety of people and horses.”
David Hayes told SEN Track that irrigated paddocks and training tracks acted as fire breaks, saving key infrastructure. “We lost probably 90 per cent of our land, Ben's house and a barn but the majority of the infrastructure was inside the protected zone,” he said. He described the ordeal as devastating, with spot fires and strong winds complicating efforts.
Authorities confirmed one man died, more than 350 buildings and structures were destroyed, and livestock losses are estimated at 15,000. At least 12 major fires were still burning across the region on Monday.
