Team Hawkes hoping to add to fruitful spring bounty with Bandersnatch in The Hunter

Team Hawkes can cap a successful spring carnival with Bandersnatch in The Hunter.

Bandersnatch is ready to cause an upset in The Hunter. Picture: Grant Guy

Bandersnatch can add his name to the bulging honour roll of big-race winners to emerge from the Team Hawkes stable this spring carnival if he can bag the $1 million The Hunter (1300m) at Newcastle on Saturday.

Hall of Famer John Hawkes, who trains in partnership with his sons Michael and Wayne, said it has been a deliberate strategy to target The Hunter with Bandersnatch.

“It’s a $1 million race over a suitable distance and we decided to go first-up into it with Bandersnatch because he does race well fresh,” Hawkes said.

Trainer John Hawkes is confident Bandersnatch will be in the mix in the $1 million The Hunter. Picture: AAP Image

“But this is a very competitive race and Lost And Running has The Everest form which is obviously the best form for this type of race.

“Bandersnatch has to show he is up to this level but he’s a racehorse, he keeps improving and we feel he can be in the mix.”

The Hawkes stable prepared Bandersnatch for The Hunter with a solid barrier trial at Rosehill last Monday when the sprinter was kept under a tight hold by race jockey Tommy Berry before cruising into second placing behind Snapdancer.

Bandersnatch is resuming after a very successful 2020-21 which included his win in the Listed Carrington Stakes last summer. The sprinter then returned during winter where he netted consecutive Listed wins in the Civic Stake and Winter Stakes before being spelled.

Hawkes said the improving Newcastle track surface for The Hunter was to Bandersnatch’s advantage with the gelding firming into $7 behind Lost And Running at $3 and former English sprinter Top Ranked at $4.60.

“Bandersnatch’s form has been pretty consistent, he’s a nice horse and tries hard in his races,” Hawkes said.

“If he can get a reasonable run in the race, he will be competitive.”

Team Hawkes has boxes for only 44 horses at their Rosehill stable base but this hasn’t stopped them producing some outstanding results this spring carnival.

They have prepared the winners of two $1 million races – Yearning took out the Group 1 Thousand Guineas and talented colt Hilal claimed the Bondi Stakes.

The stable has also been represented by Group 2 winners Masked Crusader (Premiere Stakes), Hilal (Stan Fox Stakes) and Electric Girl (Hot Danish Stakes), plus Group 3 and Listed race wins.

Masked Crusader also finished the closest of seconds to Nature Strip in The Everest.

With 24 wins on all tracks so far this season, Team Hawkes runners have earned more than $6 million in prizemoney since August 1.

“We’ve had a good spring considering we don’t have huge numbers in work,” Hawkes said.

“It could have been even better if Masked Crusader won The Everest but he still ran a really well and won some good prizemoney for his owners.”

Yearning won the Group 1 Thousand Guineas for Team Hawkes. Picture: Getty Images

Masked Crusader, Hilal, Yearning and Electric Girl have earned deserved spells with the likes of Bandersnatch and underrated veteran Archedemus among the stable’s big-race hopes for the coming summer carnival.

Archedemus won the $1 million The Gong last year and Hawkes said the eight-year-old is likely to be given his chance to defend his title in the rich Kembla Grange race next Saturday.

Surreal Step is not among the Hawkes stable’s elite carnival campaigners but he’s a genuine sprinter who is entered for the Benchmark 88 Handicap (1300m) which closes Newcastle’s The Hunter meeting.

In latest betting, Surreal Step is rated only at $26 behind Godolphin duo Gravina at $2.40 favourite and Katalin next at $3.80.

Surreal Step, who resumed with a handy fifth behind Quantico in a strong form race at Randwick, has drawn to get the run of the race from barrier four.

“He’s an honest, little horse,” Hawkes said of Surreal Step. “This is a strong race again but he’s some chance particularly if he gets a soft track.”