Team Hawkes keep rolling out the winners

PODCAST: IT was eight years ago this week when Team Hawkes saddled up their first runner — and it was a winner. On Saturday, they will chase Group 1 glory in two states.

IT was eight years ago this week when Team Hawkes saddled up their first runner — and it was a winner.

Real Saga swept home in the Listed Breeders’ Plate, giving the training partnership of Hall of Famer John Hawkes and his sons, Wayne and Michael, the perfect start.

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They have since trained the winners of more than 600 races, including 11 Group 1s, and their stable runners have earned nearly $45 million in prizemoney.

“I remember it was rough from the kick-off, we had to start from scratch, but we had a lot of good support from good people,’’ John Hawkes said.

“We have all worked hard to try and be successful. The boys have done really well but they have always been an integral part of the business.

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“Everyone thinks I do most things but I can tell you they do a lot of the hard work now. But we also have a great team around us, staff, everyone works hard together.’’

The Hawkes’ training partnership was given special approval by Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys in 2008 and has been a trailblazer, opening the door for more trainers to take on business partners.

“It seems to becoming the norm, training partnerships,’’ Hawkes said. “I think it is because racing is eight days a week now and you just can’t do it all on your own. When I first started, you weren’t going flat-out all the time, there were quieter days.

“But now you can have runners most days of the week the way the races are spread.’’

A trainer since 1971, Hawkes led in his first Group 1 winner on this day a year later with Toltrice in the Thousand Guineas.

Hawkes now has a career total of 108 majors — fourth on the list behind the legendary Tommy Smith on 282 — and he could add to that tally on Saturday.

At Royal Randwick, his stable is represented by the talented Swear, a son of super sire Redoute’s Choice, and another regally bred colt, Ready Fire Aim, in the Group 1 $500,000 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m).

Divine Prophet will line up in the Caulfield Guineas on Saturday. Picture: Jenny Evans

Divine Prophet is Team Hawkes’ big hope in the Group 1 $1 million Caulfield Guineas (1600m), while stablemate Star Turn contests the Group 2 $400,000 Schillaci Stakes (1200m).

These races are potentially career-defining for the Hawkes stable quartet of superbly bred colts.

As a trainer, few can boast John Hawkes’ record as a stallion-maker.

Hawkes has consistently prepared blue blood colts to perform well on the track, thus turning them into commercial sire prospects.

It has happened too regularly to be a fluke — think of Lonhro, Commands, Octagonal, Niello, Domesday, Dane Shadow, Clang, Viscount, Align, Arena, Dracula, Tenor, Dodge, Justice Prevails, Clang, All Too Hard, and the training partnership’s first runner, Real Saga.

The champion trainer’s ability to regularly maximise the racetrack potential of future stallions is a very real, but often an under-appreciated skill.

“When you are training these colts there are plenty of tricks — and a lot of hard work,’’ Hawkes said. “It is all about knowing how, when and why with these colts. We don’t always get it right, either, but I think that in most cases we know how to get the best out of colts.’’

By super sire Redoute’s Choice, Swear won his first two starts, in the Claret Stakes and Ming Dynasty Quality, before a luckless sixth in the Gloaming Stakes.

Ready Fire Aim, by Golden Slipper winner Sepoy out of Group 2 winner Sister Madly, is winless after five starts but placings at his last two outings indicate staying potential.

Both three-year-olds are raced by powerhouse American thoroughbred operation Spendthrift, which has a growing presence in the Australian racing and breeding industry.

“They are nice colts,’’ Hawkes said. “Swear will be competitive and Ready Fire Aim is improving all the time.

“Swear has only had the three starts and is still learning but the big track will suit him. This is a Group 1 and it would be great to win one for (owners) Spendthrift.’’

Swear steps up to 2000m in the Spring Champion Stakes. Picture: Simon Bullard

Divine Prophet, a full-brother to the gifted Proisir, has won two of his six starts but, with any luck, his record would read a lot better, Hawkes believed.

But a Caulfield Guineas win by Divine Prophet would erase the disappointments of recent losses in the Golden Rose and Stan Fox Stakes.

“Divine Prophet is adaptable, he goes anywhere, so I don’t think getting round Caulfield is an issue,’’ Hawkes said. “He goes pretty good, this colt.’’

Star Turn won the San Domenico Stakes first-up then stretched the outstanding Astern in the Run To The Rose before the Hawkes stable decided to freshen him up for a Melbourne spring campaign.

“We are happy with him and although this is a tough race, he should run well,’’ Hawkes said.

Back at Randwick tomorrow, the Hawkes stable is taking another prized colt, juvenile Showtime, to the races for the first time in the $100,000 Kirkham Plate (1000m).

Showtime is by Snitzel out of Flidais, making him a full-brother to $2.3 million earner Sweet Idea, and cost $1.1 million as a yearling,

“He was an expensive horse but he is a lovely colt,’’ Hawkes said of Showtime.

“His trial was good and he looks a nice horse but he will be better again in the autumn.’’

Star Turn will take on the older horses at Caulfield on Saturday. Picture: Simon Bullard

The Hawkes stable also has good chances with God’s In Him in the October Handicap (1400m) and Top Me Up contests the Sensis Dash (1200m) at the Randwick meeting.

Team Hawkes has slowly built up its Rosehill base over the past eight years and now has more than 40 horses in work, while there are about 30 in full training at its Flemington stables.

Hawkes is a renowned workaholic but he seems more relaxed these days working in concert with his sons.

“I think I would say I have more of a life balance,’’ he said. “I used to work enormous hours when I was with Jack and Bob (Ingham) but I loved it. They were magic years.

“These days, I wouldn’t say I’m enjoying it more of less but I have a better balance in life and I’ve no doubt working with family helps that.

“When you work with family, it has its ups and downs but, overall, I think the majority of people would love to work with their family and I am lucky enough to be able to do this job with my sons.’’