Latest news with #JohnHawkes
News.com.au
a day ago
- Business
- News.com.au
John Hawkes: Ka Ying Rising still has a box to tick for The Everest
Hall of Fame trainer John Hawkes has provided his expert endorsement of the sprinting talents of The Everest favourite Ka Ying Rising – but with one qualification. 'Ka Ying Rising looks a really, really good horse but he has got to travel from Hong Kong and settle in here,'' Hawkes said. 'Most probably he will be fine but it is never easy when you are travelling a horse overseas. 'At least he has a very good trainer (Hall of Famer David Hayes) and he's a mature horse now. 'He should be OK and if he gets here without a problem then he is going to be hard beat but you never really know until they do it.'' There's nearly five months to the $20 million The TAB Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 18 but Ka Ying Rising is the dominant $1.90 TAB Fixed Odds favourite ahead of Newcastle's unbeaten Private Harry at $6 and the Hawkes Racing -trained Briasa at $8. Ka Ying Rising is spelling after a perfect Hong Kong season where he won all his eight starts brilliantly, including four at Group 1 level culminating with his runaway win in the Chairman's Sprint Prize at Sha Tin in late April. The John Size-trained Helios Express, who was placed in seven races behind Ka Ying Rising this season, made the most of his formidable rival's absence with a fast-finishing win in the Group 3 Sha Tin Handicap on Saturday night, running a fast 1m 8.14s. But the very talented Helios Express is being called Hong Kong's version of Hay List, the outstanding sprinter who was unfortunately born in the same era as the unbeatable Black Caviar and often ran second, albeit well beaten, behind the great mare. Ka Ying Rising has not yet been locked in by a slot-holder for The Everest but this seems only a matter of time with Hong Kong Jockey Club in advanced talks with slot-holder Australian Turf Club. The Hawkes-trained Briasa is a confirmed Everest starter after being snapped up by slot-holders Max Whitby, Neil Werrett and Col Madden. Briasa is spelling after winning the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick during The Championships in April before finishing fourth to Jimmysstar in the All Aged Stakes. Hawkes, who trains in partnership with his sons Wayne and Michael, said Briasa and the stable's other autumn Group 1 winners, Nepotism (Champagne Stakes) and Devil Night (Blue Diamond Stakes) will return to light work this month. 'The good thing with Briasa is he's already qualified (slot) for The Everest, so it's great to get that out of the way,'' Hawkes said. 'The Everest is a very tough race, it won't be easy to win, but we are in with a chance. 'We are only planning to give Briasa one or two runs before The Everest. Horses like him won't have too many runs each preparation as that way they can keep racing for longer.'' The Hawkes stable also had success with Liberty State at Rosehill Gardens last Saturday with the smart mare overcoming a wide run to score an impressive first-up win. Liberty State, who helped boost the Hawkes stable's earnings for the 2024-25 season to a personal-best $10.87 million and counting, also earned praise from winning rider, Dylan Gibbons. 'Ideally I would have been happy with three deep, four deep wasn't part of the plan,'' Gibbons said. 'But when you are out there, there isn't much you can do so I was happy to leave her in her rhythm. 'She seemed to love that ground, there was no kickback in her face, and it gave her the chance to explode.'' Gibbons is hoping he can retain the ride on Liberty State as the mare has an unbeaten second-up record. 'Normally, I'm a big believer when horses go so well first-up they can taper off at their second runs back,'' Gibbons said. 'But I told Michael (Hawkes) and her owners I would not be surprised if that hasn't knocked the wind out of her at all. 'She seemed to pull up in good order and came back in like it was nothing. It will be interesting to see what sort of level she can get to now on the basis of that win.''
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
‘We've had a good season': Team Hawkes on verge of surpassing stable prizemoney record
Team Hawkes are on the verge of a personal stable milestone at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. The training partnership of Hall of Famer John Hawkes and his sons Michael and Wayne have already prepared 58 winners on all tracks during 2024-25, including three at Group 1 level, for stable earnings of $10,721,795. The stable's trio of Group 1 wins with Briasa (TJ Smith Stakes), Nepotism (Champagne Stakes) and Devil Night (Blue Diamond) is the most majors they have trained in one season since All Too Hard won four elite level races in 2012-13. • But with only two months of the season remaining, Team Hawkes is certain to break its previous best season's prizemoney return of $10,809,625 set in 2021-22 – and it could happen as early as Saturday's home track Rosehill meeting. The Hawkes stable has starters in four races including fancied duo Furious in the Ranvet Handicap (1500m) and Brave One in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1200m). 'We've had a good season because we only have a small team in work these days with 35 at Rosehill and 25 at Flemington,'' John Hawkes said. 'We keep chipping away and we were lucky to win a few big races which always helps.'' The Rosehill track was rated a Heavy 9 late on Friday with the likelihood of an upgrade on race day. 'The weather seems to have come good for a few days but the track is not going to dry out too much,'' Hawkes said. 'Our horses should handle the track but you don't want it too heavy.'' Furious is the pick of the Hawkes stable runners at Rosehill if TAB betting is any guide as he is challenging for favouritism at $5 behind only Enter The Dragon at $4.80. Hawkes said Furious, part-owned by Rupert Legh of Chautauqua fame, has trained on well after his close second to Pippie Beach at a Kensington meeting earlier this month. 'Furious has 60.5kg and it's never easy when carrying big weights on wet tracks,'' Hawkes said. 'But the horse is well in himself and certainly we feel he will be competitive.'' Brave One, who is also part-owned by Legh, resumed with a close second to Cruel Summer in heavy conditions at Canterbury a month ago. But the Hawkes-trained sprinter gets in with only 54kg for his Rosehill race and is firm in betting at $6 behind Godolphin sprinter Kerguelen at $3.10. 'Brave One has had time to get over his first-up run,'' Hawkes said. 'This is a harder race but we are happy with him.'' Hawkes has also entered Allapercanto ($23) and Liberty State ($26) for the TAB Handicap (1200m) and Catahoula ($17) is in the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1100m). At Eagle Farm, the Hawkes stable can secure another feature two-year-old race with promising Gallo Nero ($4.20 favourite) for the Group 2 $1m BRC Sires Produce Stakes. Meanwhile, Hawkes said the 'grey flash' Briasa and boom two-year-old Nepotism are still out spelling and won't return to the Rosehill stable for another two weeks. Briasa has been selected by slot-holders Max Whitby, Neil Werrett and Col Madden for the $20m The TAB Everest at Royal Randwick on October 18 while Nepotism is likely to be aimed at the Group 1 three-year-old classics, Golden Rose (1400m) and Caulfield Guineas (1600m). 'We haven't locked in their spring programs but with Briasa he will only have one or two runs into The Everest,'' Hawkes said. 'He won't have too many runs each preparation, that way we can keep him racing for longer. 'Nepotism we will take along quietly and hopefully get him to races like the Golden Rose and the Caulfield Guineas.'' â– â– â– â– â– On the subject of significant achievements, Chris Waller and James McDonald can challenge national Group 1 records at Eagle Farm. Waller goes into the meeting having already trained 18 Group 1 winners this season, equalling the all-time record he set in 2018/19. McDonald has ridden 14 Australian Group 1 winners during 2024-25 and has the opportunity to edge closer or even equal 'Miracle' Mal Johnston's longstanding national riding record of 16 major race winners he established in 1979-80. Waller and McDonald team up with brilliant mare Joliestar ($3 favourite) in the Group 1 $1m Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) and Belle Detelle ($5.50) in the Group 1 $1m Queensland Derby (2400m). Waller has multiple runners in both Group 1 races with Democracy Manifest ($41) in the Kingsford Smith Cup, while in the Derby the trainer is also saddling up Imperalist ($19), Existential Bob ($41) and possibly emergency Liberty Park ($101). Meanwhile, Waller will pass the $50 million prizemoney stable for the season on Saturday. The Hall of Fame trainer has already prepared the winners of $49,987,130 to trail only Ciaron Maher with a record $55,737,500 (and counting) on this season's prizemoney rankings. â– â– â– â– â– Bacio Del Mist might be the rank outsider at $81 for the Listed $200,000 Lord Mayor's Cup (2000m) at Rosehill but trainer Cherie Curtis expects the grey mare to run a 'competitive race'. 'She ran well at Scone last start, it was only 1700m and she was just run off her legs,'' Curtis said. 'But we are getting her ready for some of the winter staying races and she is much better for the run.'' Interestingly, the only mare to win the Lord Mayor's Cup in more than two decades was a grey – Polly Grey in 2021. â– â– â– â– â– Dave Morrison will officiate at his first Sydney Saturday meeting as Rosehill track manager. The experienced Morrison was appointed earlier this month to replace Shaun Patterson. Morrison spent 30 years on the track staff at Royal Randwick and the last two at Rosehill so his transition to the top job has been seamless. The official track rating for Rosehill late on Friday was a Heavy 9 after more than 110mm of rain fell on the track over the last seven days but Morrison will be hoping for an upgrade on race day.
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Rosehill trainers want to move on after ATC members reject sale proposal
Trainer Richard Freedman says only time will tell if Australian Turf Club members have made the right decision to reject the Rosehill sale proposal. 'All I will say is I hope they have made the right decision,'' Freedman told The Daily Telegraph. 'If they have made the wrong one, eventually we will pay the penalty.'' • Racenet iQ members get full access to our Pro Tips service, where Greg Polson and our team of professional punters provide daily tips with fully transparent return on investment statistics. SUBSCRIBE NOW and start punting like a pro! At an ATC extraordinary general meeting on Tuesday, the 'no'' vote had 56.1 per cent of membership support, or 4413 of the 7864 votes received. There are nearly 11,500 members of the race club. Freedman, who trains in partnership with his son, Will, at Rosehill, said if the ATC had more time to prosecute the case for selling the racetrack, it might have changed the vote's outcome. In the aftermath of the vote, there has been calls for some senior ATC executives including board members and chairman Peter McGauran to resign. The issue has divided Sydney racing but Hall of Famer John Hawkes, one of the all-time great trainers with a storied career spanning more than 50 years, said it is time for personal differences to be set aside. 'In some ways the result of the vote is good, in some ways it's not so good,'' said Hawkes, who trains in partnership with his sons Michael and Wayne. 'But whichever way the vote went, there was nothing we could have done about it. 'This is a great industry with great people in it and it would be better for everyone if we could just move forward from this now.'' David Payne, a former champion trainer in South Africa before making a success of his move to Sydney more than two decades ago, welcomed the members rejection of the Rosehill sale. 'I think it is a very good decision,'' Payne said. 'When I was in South Africa, they sold three of the best racetracks and the sport has gone downhill there ever since. 'At least the Rosehill trainers can plan for their future now. This decision is not so much for me but the younger generation.'' Gerald Ryan, who trains in partnership with Sterling Alexiou, admitted he was 'sitting on the fence' with the Rosehill sale proposal. 'I just wanted what was best for racing,'' Ryan said. 'Actually, I thought the plans for Warwick Farm and Penrith were great but we only saw that about 10 days beforehand. If it had eventuated, it would have been terrific.'' Ryan said he was relieved the Golden Slipper, the world's richest two-year-old race, would remain at Rosehill. Cherie Curtis, who trains with her husband Lee, said the decision of members to reject the sale proposal gives Rosehill trainers 'some certainty' for the future. 'Before the vote, we weren't sure what to do with our lives – do we buy a house here, where do our kids go to school, what would happen to our stable staff,'' she said. 'It's been a year and a half of instability but we have some certainty now.''
