The win of Confectioner in yesterday's Group 2 Craiglee Stakes represents another important milestone for David Hayes as he re-establishes himself as a force to be reckoned with in the Melbourne training ranks after an absence of 10 years in Hong Kong.

Suffering from tendon problems, Confectioner has promised a lot during his career but has been difficult to keep sound.

Winning jockey Craig Williams paid tribute to Hayes training effort, which saw Confectioner register a soft win at his first run in nearly a year.

"David's done a great job with this horse", Williams said. "I was skeptical and I've had many years of experience with different trainers but he proved me wrong again."

After winning the Craiglee, Williams admitted that he did not realise that Hayes considered Confectioner a topliner until he was asked to ride the horse in his Spring campaign.

"The first phone call I got when I arrived back from Hong Kong was David, who said this is an opportunity to ride a good horse. He said Confectioner and I said what's that horse again?"

"I am happy and I am excited," Hayes said after the $500,000 race. "I targeted this horse as the best horse in the stable and being able to win first-up so softly after 45 weeks, shows just how good he is. From Hong Kong, he's the one I've been waiting to train and I'm certainly not disappointed with what he's showing us."

Perfectly positioned in the run by Williams, Confectioner powered to the line to make his opposition look second rate, in a run which had bookmakers scrambling to slash his odds for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.

For Les Gordon, who owns Confectioner with his business partner Peter Devitt and Hayes, the win was a highlight for a horse which has promised much and delivered a never ending string of injury problems.

"For a horse that hasn't run for 45 weeks to win over a mile", is a great training performance by David he said.

"We wanted to get over today as his legs are unsound and we want him to get up in the morning with no soreness."

Hayes revealed that he had set out to train Confectioner differently, based on methods he had learned during his 10 years in Hong Kong.

"There are lots of ways to skin a cat", he said. "We did a lot of slow work with him."

Williams, who has been able to observe first hand the training methods employed,  believes that Hayes labour intensive approach to keeping Confectioner sound has proved a point to the whole stable.

"I think it means a lot to the stable", Williams said, applauding the efforts of the stable staff who "wrapped him in cotton wool" to get a great result.

According to Hayes, Confectioner will now continue towards the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, with his next run scheduled for the $352,000 Group 1 Underwood Stakes to be run over 1800m at Caulfield on the 17th of September.

"He's been a frustratingly good horse. But the most important thing about today is tomorrow," Hayes said, reflecting the concerns of Les Gordon.

On Sunday morning the news was all good.

"I'm surprised to see him doing so well", said Hayes.

Photos: Quentin Lang

© Cyberhorse 2010 Bill Saunders Published 04/09/05