Latest news with #MichaelHawkes
Mercury
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mercury
Michael Hawkes declares Gallo Nero ‘horse to beat' in BRC Sires' Produce Stakes
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. A bullish Michael Hawkes has declared 'we're not wary of anybody' in Saturday's BRC Sires' Produce Stakes, believing the wide spaces of Eagle Farm will suit his colt Gallo Nero. Leading jockey Tommy Berry will step up to steer Gallo Nero after regular rider Tyler Schiller suffered a fractured back on Wednesday when filly Rockabye Roxy bucked the hoop in a frightening incident at Canterbury Park. Schiller will miss at least six weeks, ruling him out of the Queensland winter carnival, including the plum ride on $4.20 favourite Gallo Nero in the $1m BRC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m). • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The Michael Freedman-trained gelding Aerodrome is $6.50, with local star Grafterburners next on the line at $7. 'It's very disappointing for Tyler,' Michael Hawkes, who trains in partnership with his father John and brother Wayne, said on Friday. 'Tommy Berry's a great back-up but Tyler's done all the work on the horse. His time will come.' Hawkes believed Gallo Nero deserved to win his last-start – the Spirit Of Boom Classic at Doomben (1200m) two weeks ago when he finished runner-up behind Cool Archie after being forced to run wide without cover for most of the trip on a Heavy 8 track. • No Frankie, no worries for Giga Kick in Group 1 attack 'He should've won first-up, everyone saw it,' he said. 'In this day and age unfortunately barriers win races and he was no closer than four-deep probably the whole way. 'He deserved to win. Take nothing away from the other horse (Cool Archie) but he got the breaks and went through them while we had to go around them. 'He had a hard run – first-up on a bog track is not ideal – but his first time at 1400m should suit. 'Hopefully he gets a lovely run because I think Eagle Farm will definitely suit him. It's a big, roomy track that he'll appreciate. 'We're not wary of anybody, he's the horse to beat. 'As long as he gets a good run in transit, everything goes his way and he has a bit of luck then he's going to figure in the finish.' Tyler Schiller riding colt Gallo Nero to victory at Royal Randwick last December. Picture: Getty Images Both Aerodrome and Gallo Nero are $8 chances for the Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) for 2YOs on June 14 at Eagle Farm. Freedman said he would prefer a dry track on Saturday for the undefeated Aerodrome, despite him winning the Clarendon Stakes (1400m) last start on heavy ground at Hawkesbury. But with persistent rain on Friday and up to 40mm forecast for Brisbane on Saturday, the Golden Slipper-winning trainer won't get his wish. • One-time Derby fancy can bounce back from second-up syndrome 'I was hoping we'd get a firmer track because he's got such a good action,' Freedman said. 'Whilst he won on a Heavy 8 track at Hawkesbury, I don't think he was as good on that surface as he was the start before on a drier track. 'But look, he's travelled up well and he's very bright and happy. I was happy with his work here (in Sydney) on Tuesday. 'It just remains to be seen how the track plays.' Originally published as Michael Hawkes declares Gallo Nero 'horse to beat' in BRC Sires' Produce Stakes
News.com.au
2 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Michael Hawkes declares Gallo Nero ‘horse to beat' in BRC Sires' Produce Stakes
A bullish Michael Hawkes has declared 'we're not wary of anybody' in Saturday's BRC Sires' Produce Stakes, believing the wide spaces of Eagle Farm will suit his colt Gallo Nero. Leading jockey Tommy Berry will step up to steer Gallo Nero after regular rider Tyler Schiller suffered a fractured back on Wednesday when filly Rockabye Roxy bucked the hoop in a frightening incident at Canterbury Park. Schiller will miss at least six weeks, ruling him out of the Queensland winter carnival, including the plum ride on $4.20 favourite Gallo Nero in the $1m BRC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m). The Michael Freedman -trained gelding Aerodrome is $6.50, with local star Grafterburners next on the line at $7. 'It's very disappointing for Tyler,' Michael Hawkes, who trains in partnership with his father John and brother Wayne, said on Friday. 'Tommy Berry's a great back-up but Tyler's done all the work on the horse. His time will come.' Hawkes believed Gallo Nero deserved to win his last-start – the Spirit Of Boom Classic at Doomben (1200m) two weeks ago when he finished runner-up behind Cool Archie after being forced to run wide without cover for most of the trip on a Heavy 8 track. • No Frankie, no worries for Giga Kick in Group 1 attack 'He should've won first-up, everyone saw it,' he said. 'In this day and age unfortunately barriers win races and he was no closer than four-deep probably the whole way. 'He deserved to win. Take nothing away from the other horse (Cool Archie) but he got the breaks and went through them while we had to go around them. 'He had a hard run – first-up on a bog track is not ideal – but his first time at 1400m should suit. 'Hopefully he gets a lovely run because I think Eagle Farm will definitely suit him. It's a big, roomy track that he'll appreciate. 'We're not wary of anybody, he's the horse to beat. 'As long as he gets a good run in transit, everything goes his way and he has a bit of luck then he's going to figure in the finish.' Both Aerodrome and Gallo Nero are $8 chances for the Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) for 2YOs on June 14 at Eagle Farm. Freedman said he would prefer a dry track on Saturday for the undefeated Aerodrome, despite him winning the Clarendon Stakes (1400m) last start on heavy ground at Hawkesbury. But with persistent rain on Friday and up to 40mm forecast for Brisbane on Saturday, the Golden Slipper-winning trainer won't get his wish. 'I was hoping we'd get a firmer track because he's got such a good action,' Freedman said. 'Whilst he won on a Heavy 8 track at Hawkesbury, I don't think he was as good on that surface as he was the start before on a drier track. 'But look, he's travelled up well and he's very bright and happy. I was happy with his work here (in Sydney) on Tuesday. 'It just remains to be seen how the track plays.'
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
24-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Co-trainer Michael Hawkes predicts a bright future for Spione after his stylish victory at Randwick
Trainer Michael Hawkes predicted a bright future for promising Spione after a fast-finishing win at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Spione, ridden by Tyler Schiller, went very wide on the turn and made his run near the outside rail before reeling in his rivals to win the Magnolia Lane Financial Services Handicap (1400m). 'We have a lot of time for this horse,' Hawkes said. 'He was very unlucky here last start and he drew an awkward barrier today. 'I told Tyler that unfortunately he would have to go back on him but we think the horse is good enough. 'We just had to hope he got some clear air then let him rip and he's done that. It was a very good win.' Spione, well backed into $3.90 favouritism, ran down Thunderlips ($4) to win by a widening one-and-a-quarter lengths with Boltsaver ($8) a half length away third. Schiller said it wasn't his intention to get as wide as he did on Spione in the straight. 'I didn't really want to get to the outside but when I was half-way there at the 400m I thought I might as well go the whole way,' Schiller said. @G1TySchil | @HawkesRacing â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2025 • Punters in a 'Daze' as import causes a boilover 'Spione finished very strongly and put them away nicely in the finish. He's always been a consistent type and I know Michael really likes him.' Hawkes, who trains in partnership with his brother Wayne and their father, Hall of Famer John, said four-year-old Spione's best is still to come after the sprinter scored his third win at just his fifth start. 'We bred Spione and my Mum (Jenny) and wife (Clare) own him,' Hawkes said. 'The horse is by Showtime who we used to train and I have no doubt in time he will make a very nice horse.'
