Divine ascension in Caulfield Guineas after perfect Dwayne Dunn ride propels colt to victory

UPDATE: A SUPERB ride from Dwayne Dunn has propelled Divine Prophet to victory the Caulfield Guineas from Seaburge and Hey Doc.

Divine Prophet, ridden by Dwayne Dunn, claims the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas. Picture: Hamish Blair

THE Sydney tsunami took out both Guineas races at Caulfield on Saturday but it was the second one, for the colts and geldings, that might prove a factor in the ongoing story of the spring.

Divine Prophet continued the dominance of Sydney-trained three-year-olds in the Caulfield Guineas.

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His narrow win, after bursting through a gap close to the rails, now sets him up as a $10 million-plus stud prospect in a classic race regarded as a “stallion maker”.

The win also proved there is no stopping the great John Hawkes, a perennial in the training ranks whose 109 Group 1s puts him fifth on Australia’s all-time list for trainers.

Like many stables, let alone one that has been operating since the early 1970s, the Hawkes stable has evolved.

For some years Hawkes has trained in partnership with his sons Wayne and Michael. Saturday’s was their 17th Group 1 as a trio.

“I’m going in the Hall Of Shame if he (John) is in the Hall Of Fame,’’ said Wayne, who is renowned for his flamboyant personality, as opposed to his more dour father.

Aside from all that, the talking point after Saturday’s Guineas was whether Divine Prophet can become a piece in an intriguing puzzle.

Jockey Dwayne Dunn salutes as he returns to scale. Picture: Mark Dadswell

The three-year-olds could be on the march towards the Cox Plate.

Yankee Rose’s brilliant Spring Champion Stakes win put her in the Cox Plate mix but there is no commitment from the conservative Hawkes camp with Divine Prophet.

Yankee Rose is now a $17 chance, in from $26, and Divine Prophet has firmed from $35 to $26. Wins remains the $1.90 favourite.

“He’s still in the Cox Plate but Lonhro won this race and we didn’t run him in the cox plate,’’ he said of the 2001 Caulfield Guineas winner.

“You know what we’re like, we’ll just put the horse first and stuff the Cox Plate, we’re here for the Guineas.

“Winx is Winx and Divine Prophet is Divine Prophet. She’s going to the Cox Plate and we’ve just won the Caulfield Guineas.

“If he does (run) so be it. This was our grand final. If he warrants being in the Cox Plate he will be in it, if he doesn’t he’ll be on the first float to the paddock.’’

Dwayne Dunn’s says one of the keys to the win was John Hawkes’ mentorship. Picture: Hamish Blair

A combination of the perfect ally and the perfect ride were the keys to the victory of Divine Prophet, a $7 chance.

In-form jockey Dwayne Dunn had the colt midfield from barrier one and kept creeping along the rails before squeezing through a gap at the 150m just as it appeared Seaburge ($31) had the race won out wide.

Divine Prophet held on by a head, with a half length to Hey Doc in third.

Impending, the $3.50 favourite, ran on fairly for fourth but raced as though he was at the end of his campaign according to jockey James McDonald.

“Gee barrier one was the perfect barrier — three back the fence, doing no work. In these big races you’ve got to draw the right barrier,’’ Hawkes said. “It was a perfect ride by Dwayne, he got it right.

Dwayne Dunn and Divine Prophet. Picture: Mark Dadswell

“He just waited for the split to come and the horse did the rest. It’s a big race, s stallion making race.

“As Michael told me this morning he’s a proper horse this horse and he was right, God love him.’’

Dunn said one of the keys to the win was John Hawkes’ mentorship.

“He taught me to be patient. If the horse is good enough it will win,’’ he said.

The talk pre-race was that the Sydney colts had an edge on their Melbourne counterparts and that’s how it played out, albeit by a head.

Seaburge’s jockey Mark Zahra said “he ran enormous. I thought he was the winner after I claimed Hey Doc but the winner shot through on the inside.’’

“The Sydney colts probably always had the advantage but to be fair the Sydney two-year-olds last season were the best and as three-year-olds they’ve probably just franked the form — they’re a great bunch of three-year-olds.’’

Hawkes paid tribute to Dunn.

“He’s done the hard yards and he does the hard yards all the time,’’ he said.

Catch us if you can: Dwayne Dunn and Divine Prophet nudge out their rivals with a perfect inside run. Picture: Mark Dadswell