When Hayes retired in 1990 he had earned over $119 million in prizemoney, with 5333 winners

Colin Hayes was born in Semaphore, a beachside suburb in the city of Adelaide, on February 16, 1924. From his formative years, horses were his genuine passion, whereas Don Bradman was his sporting idol. There was no history of racing in Colin Hayes' family background. The young boy simply had a deep passion for horses. At the age of twelve and thirteen, he dedicated his pocket money to acquiring riding lessons at a local equestrian establishment. Colin suffered a fall off a brumby in a rodeo after a rough ride, an injury that rendered him physically unfit for service in World War II.

Colin Hayes commenced his training career in 1947 in Adelaide, establishing a family dynasty that continues to make history. After a short career as an amateur jockey, Colin Hayes turned his hand to training and in time was to establish a training and breeding establishment of world renown. Colin established Lindsay Park Racing Stables and Stud amongst the magnificent red gums and rolling hills of Barossa Valley, South Australia in 1965. The property was named Angaston. He became owner/trainer from 1945 to 1950 before he obtained his trainers licence in 1950.

He originally trained out of Semaphore before establishing Lindsay Park Stud in South Australia’s Barossa Valley which was a showpiece for his training and breeding empire that achieved some remarkable results. Hayes trained his first winner, Surefoot, at Strathalbyn on October 15, 1947 in a jumps race, winning $190. He had paid £9 to buy the steeplechaser which kickstarted his career. By the time he had retired in 1990 Hayes had trained 5333 winners in a 43 year career. He won his first Adelaide Trainers Premiership aged 28 in 1956 and went on to win it another 26 times. He won the Melbourne equivalent 13 times in succession from 1978 to 1990.

Recognised as the most outstanding private training establishment in Australia, Lindsay Park set Hayes on the road to an outstanding career which saw him breed 3461 winners of 12,162 races, and train a total of 5333 winners, including many great racehorses including Dulcify, Rory’s Jester, So Called and Zabeel.

Hayes considered Dulcify the best horse he ever trained and was thrilled when he annihilated the opposition to win the 1979 Cox Plate by a record seven lengths. Ten days later he was shattered when the champion horse broke his pelvis during the running of the Melbourne Cup and had to be destroyed. During a moment of inadvertent jostling, Hyperno collided with Dulcify, resulting in a laceration to the skin of the latter's left hind leg. Ironically, the antagonist of the play was Hyperno, was considered a 'psycho' horse that was difficult to control. Jockey Thomson's initial instinct was to halt Dulcify, however, the horse appeared to regain its composure and was able to maintain its position in eighth place along the inner rail as the competitors approached the final turn. It was only when the leaders accelerated rapidly at the 400-metre mark and Dulcify was unable to keep pace that Thomson recognized a significant issue. The gelding swiftly fell behind the other horses, and Thomson promptly dismounted upon entering the Flemington straight. Colin Hayes, of course, was heartbroken. “It is the worst day of my life,” he conceded on that famous first Tuesday. Dulcify’s complete racing record was 21 starts; 10 wins; 3 seconds; 2 thirds; and $568,775 in stakes.

His notable feats included training a world record ten city winners in a day (January 23, 1982), five Group 1 winners in a day (February 7, 1987), and six Group and Black Type winners in a day (September 12, 1987). His best season was his last when he trained 278 winners, then a Commonwealth record, including 13 Group 1 winners and prize money just short of $10 million. In all he trained 524 Group or listed winners including 98 Group 1 winners. Hayes won two Melbourne Cups, Beldale Ball in 1980 and At Talaq in 1986, three W. S. Cox Plates with So Called in 1978, Dulcify in 1979, and Almaarad in 1989, one Caulfield Cup with How Now in 1976, four VRC Derbies with Haymaker in 1974, Unaware in 1976, Dulcify in 1978, and King’s High in 1988, one AJC Derby with Dulcify in 1979.

He retired in 1990 having earned over $119 million in prizemoney. When he retired he handed the reins to son David who continued the family tradition of producing winner after winner. In 1980 he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to horse racing and in 1995 Hayes was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his service to the field of industrial relations.