Latest news with #JohnHawkes
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Hall Of Fame trainer John Hawkes hopes to have runners in the biggest slot races of both equine codes
Hall of Fame trainer John Hawkes hopes to have runners in the biggest slot races of both Australia's equine codes. His exciting sprinter Briasa is already locked in for the $20 million The Everest on October 18 through the slot held by Max Whitby, Steve McCann, Colin Madden and Neil Werrett. Now Hawkes and his harness trainer, Geoff Webster, are hunting for a slot in the world's richest harness race, the $2.1 million TAB Eureka, with emerging three-year-old Seathestars at Menangle on September 6. Hawkes has always had a passion for harness racing and has owned '25 or more' pacers over the years, but Seathestars is potentially the best yet. The gelding won three races on end, including the South-East Derby at Albion Park on July 5, before a slashing and luckless fourth in the $150,000 Group 1 Queensland Derby last Saturday night. Seathestars drew outside the back row, sat near the rear and defied the pattern of racing to storm home into fourth spot behind star Kiwi pacer Rubira, which led throughout. 'I thought his run was great,' Hawkes said. 'You couldn't ask for any more from where he drew and how far back he was. He's always shown ability, but he keeps improving and that's the exciting part. 'Geoff (Webster) mentioned The Eureka and I let him call the shots. If he thinks the horse is good enough to aim for it, then I'm onboard. 'It's a race for three and four-year-olds and the four-year-old crop doesn't look overly strong this year, so it could be a year for a three-year-old to win it. 'It would be exciting to have a runner in The Everest and The Eureka.' • 'The shoulder has had enough': Digger calls time on career Webster added: 'I've always liked him, but on what he's done the past few weeks, especially in the Derby, he's even better than I thought he was.' Hawkes said Briasa would return to his Rosehill stables this week and had thrived during his time out. 'I think he can go up another notch this campaign, but he'll need to, given the races we're aiming at,' he said. 'Most of what he's done so far has been on raw ability. 'The timing is perfect for him to have a crack at a race like The Everest. He's lightly raced and still on the up. It's the right time of his career.' Briasa is brilliant in the G1 T J Smith Stakes! He makes it 7 wins from just 9 starts as he races away for @HawkesRacing and @G1TySchil! ðŸ'¨ @aus_turf_club | @WorldPool — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 5, 2025 Briasa boasts seven wins from just 10 starts, including the Group 1 TJ Smith, and hasn't raced since a fourth in the All Aged Stakes at Randwick on April 19. 'Forgive that run, he just wasn't quite ready and mature enough for the 1400m,' Hawkes said. Briasa is $8 third favourite behind Hong Kong sensation Ka Ying Rising and the exciting Private Harry in latest The Everest markets. Hawkes is looking forward to the challenge against Ka Ying Rising. 'He's clearly a very good horse, but I'm not scared of him. You want to race the best,' he said. 'I know my horse has the potential to improve a lot on what we've seen so far, so I'm excited about getting the chance to take on a horse like him (Ka Ying Rising), especially in our own backyard.'
The Australian
21-06-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
Brave One's wide run no obstacle in Randwick triumph
Brave One proved plenty in his 1300m romp around Royal Randwick on Saturday. The Team Hawkes-trained three-year-old proved you can travel wide and still win, proved he's not just a wet-tracker, and proved he's a promising young sprinter. This all took a tick over 67 seconds as Brave One put paid to his rivals with a consummate ease in the Quayclean Handicap (1300m). • 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! Hall of Fame trainer John Hawkes wasn't concerned when jockey Dylan Gibbons was trapped three-wide from an outside barrier. 'It's all about tempo. They didn't go hard and Dylan had the horse in a nice rhythm,'' Hawkes said. 'If they ran long at a fast tempo, then he had a chance to get over but if they go hard and you are trapped out wide then it is more difficult. 'But Dylan rode the horse how I asked him to – just have the horse where he was comfortable. 'Brave One was a class above them, he's better than this grade.'' With Gibbons wearing the racing colours synonymous with the Hawkes stable's former champion sprinter Chautauqua, the emerging Brave One ($4 favourite) raced away to win by one-and-a-half lengths from Secure ($5) with Lunaite ($5) nearly a length away third. Gibbons, who missed four months over summer with a shoulder injury but has been in brilliant form of late, didn't panic when he could get closer than three-wide on Brave One early. 'You probably couldn't tell but the first half of the race I had actually cover and it wasn't until the 700m that Kerrin (McEvoy, Lunaite) dropped in,'' Gibbons said. 'The pace slackened and it landed us in free ground so I just had to trust his ability late.'' Gibbons admitted it is usually frowned upon in Australian racing to be three-wide but the jockey was also factoring in the race tempo with his riding tactics. 'Sometimes being three-wide is better than being one-one or three-back, one-off in a slow race and over-racing. From those wide alleys you can really only beat yourself,'' he said. 'I have been doing a bit of work for the Hawkes team at home and they are very easy to ride for. 'They've got one instruction and that's to ride the horse and keep the horse happy. It is pretty easy when your only plan is to do exactly that. They make it easy on you. 'There were no instructions from out wide. I trusted the horse and it paid off. I gave him a chance to go and win it and he did just that. 'It obviously helps when you've got a horse with ability but I think that showed today because he was able to cruise across, have cover for the first half and then from there on in it was a matter of point and shoot.' Brave One, who is by Team Hawkes former Group 1-winning sprinter Exceedance and cost $300,000 at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, improved his record to two wins (and two seconds) from just six starts and took his earnings to nearly $260,000. Gibbons and Hawkes were in agreement that the best is yet to come from Brave One. 'I think he will keep improving,'' Gibbons said. 'What I really liked today is when I rode him last start he was keen, he still travelled up well and probably got beaten by a handy one (Kerguelen). 'But today, he was beautiful, relaxed right in my hands, and he was tough. There is a lot of ability there and I'll be excited to see where he goes from here.' Brave One continues what has been an outstanding season for the Hawkes stable who has prepared 60 winners of a career-best $11.1 million prizemoney including Group 1 wins from exciting trio Briasa (TJ Smith Stakes), Nepotism (Champagne Stakes) and Devil Night (Blue Diamond). Hawkes, who trains in partnership with his sons Michael and Wayne, said Brave One has a 'bright future' but he was not sure how much longer into winter the young sprinter will keep racing. 'We will see how Brave One pulls up,'' Hawkes said. 'We might look to give him one more run, we will just play it by ear. 'But he's not just a wet-tracker as he showed today. He's a nice horse and will be even better next time around.''
News.com.au
19-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘You dream about getting to 100 wins': Trainer Bjorn Baker eyes historic milestone
The remarkable rise and rise of Bjorn Baker has the trainer closing in on a historic century of Sydney wins this season. With 12 city meetings remaining this season, Baker is on 83 wins and trails only Chris Waller with 130 wins in the Sydney trainers premierships. 'You dream about getting to 100 wins, it would be fantastic,'' Baker said. 'It is not completely out of the question although I'm probably going to struggle to get there but I will be doing my best.'' There has only been five occasions in Sydney racing history when two trainers have passed 100 city wins in the same season and that was during the era when John Hawkes and Gai Waterhouse were the dominant stables two decades ago. The two Hall of Fame trainers swapped Sydney premiership wins over a 16-year period and their rivalry, albeit friendly, pushed them to new heights. In 2002-03, they both broke the 150-win barrier with Waterhouse training 156 wins to claim the title from Hawkes on 150.5 wins. The two trainers first managed the feat in 1999-2000 when Hawkes, with 112 wins, took out the premiership from Waterhouse on 101 wins. Hawkes then won titles from Waterhouse in 2003-04 (113 wins to 103) and 2005-06 (133-104) while Waterhouse reversed the order in 2001-02 (137-115). • Ciaron Maher given keys to Leilani Lodge at Royal Randwick Waller is about to claim his 15th consecutive Sydney premiership and his dominance doesn't look like ending any season soon even with Ciaron Maher 's increasing stable numbers and Baker's sudden emergence. It was only six years ago when Baker trained 23 city winners for the 2018-19 season and was just outside the Sydney top 10 rankings. But Baker has climbed into the top five Sydney trainers every year since with 2024-25 his career- best season by some margin over his previous best return of 56 city wins in 2019-20. By all the metrics, Baker has had a breakout season. He's trained the winners of 147 races on all tracks this season, easily eclipsing his previous best of 128 wins set in 2019-20. He's prepared a stable-best 23 stakes winners – including three at Group 1 level – and his starters have already earned nearly $25 million prizemoney and counting, almost doubling the $14.8 million his horses won last season. The Warwick Farm -based trainer's focus now is to 'raise the bat' for a century of city wins before the season ends with the final metropolitan meeting scheduled for his home track on July 30. "Massive thrill, so many of my great friends in this horse." Bjorn Baker with a second Group 1 across the Championships! @BBakerRacing — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) April 12, 2025 Some of the batsmen in the Australian cricket team which lost the World Test Championship Final to South Africa at Lord's last weekend would like to boast Baker's numbers. The trainer is readying 11 starters across seven races at Royal Randwick on Saturday including topweight Iknowastar and promising young sprinter Raikkonen in the Listed $200,000 Civic Stakes (1400m). 'I'm trying to get to that figure (100 wins),'' Baker said. 'I'm even looking at having Point And Shoot and Perfumist ready to start racing again next month.'' Point And Shoot reeled off three wins in Sydney over summer while during the same period, Perfumist won at Mudgee before recording a city hat-trick of her own. Perfumist makes it 3 in-a-row with a great ride from @Costin_Winona! ðŸ'Œ @BBakerRacing — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 4, 2025 Baker said even if he doesn't quite get to the century of city wins, he 'couldn't be happier' with his stable's results this season. 'In the last five of six years, I have been in the top five each season and come third a couple of times, so to finish second will be a great achievement,'' he said. 'The prizemoney our horses have won this year was also a big kick along.'' Baker said his stable's stunning season has been the combination of a number of factors. 'I've got a great team around me, great facilities and track riders, and I think Luke (Hilton, racing manager) and myself have got better when it comes to the placement of our horses,'' he said. 'We are trying to put them in races where they are competitive, and we are know a lot more about our horses and their racing patterns. 'Luke and I have spent a lot of time on recognising how best to have our horses ridden, where they are in their preparation and their fitness levels. All the little things add up to improved results.'' In a season stacked with success, selecting the highlight might seem difficult but Baker didn't hesitate when the question was asked. 'Definitely winning the Doncaster Mile with Stefi Magnetica,'' Baker said. The filly Stefi Magnetica wins an epic G1 Stradbroke - and it’s @ZacLloydx with his first Group 1 winner! 🙌 @BrisRacingClub @BBakerRacing — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 15, 2024 'I hadn't done well at The Championshps over the years so to win one of Sydney's great races was very special. 'Then to back it up a week later with Arapaho winning the Sydney Cup was something you dream about.'' The trainer said both Group 1 stars were back in work with Stefi Magnetica being aimed at the Group 1 $5 million King Charles III Stakes on Everest Day and Arapaho set for the $8 million Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November. Baker has a stable laden with carnival talent including $10.5 million earner Overpass and classy rising three-year-old fillies, O' Ole and Within The Law. Overpass has contested two The Everest s, finishing unplaced in both, before winning the Group 3 Sydney Stakes on Everest Day last year. 'We are bringing Overpass back into pre-training next week and our main aim is to hit the Sydney Stakes nice and fresh but we would like to think he's in the mix for The Everest,'' Baker said. 'Then, we will go back to Perth and try and win another Winterbottom Stakes. We just have to find a good track for him.'' “I’m the luckiest man in the world!â€� This interview with @BBakerRacing after Stefi Magnetica’s win in the Doncaster Mile has it all - passion, emotion and laughs! ðŸ'• @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 5, 2025 Baker is excited about the new season prospects of the fillies, O' Ole who won on the Magic Millions before she was injured, and Within The Law, winner of the Sweet Embrace Stakes and a close second to Nepotism in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes. 'O' Ole has just resumed pre-training but we are taking one step at a time with her, there are no set plans,'' he said. 'She might be a bit behind for the Sydney fillies races but we are mindful of getting her back to her best. 'Within The Law came back in on Monday and we will aim her at the big fillies races. She is a proper racehorse. 'I also have a lot of time for a filly called Horseshoe Hill that won at Hawkesbury earlier in the week. I'm looking at a race at Randwick for her next month. She is very good.'' HORSESHOE HILL, already listed placed, chose a provincial maiden to make a statement Green yet gifted; guided by @RachelK11 she held 2nd off & buried the rest at @hawkesburyrc ðŸ'� The All Too Hard 2YO filly was a $200k @mmsnippets buy for @ClarkeBStock, @RidgmontFarm & me — Bjorn Baker Racing (@BBakerRacing) June 17, 2025 Baker currently has just over 100 horses in work and concedes he would need to increase that number if he was to consistently challenge for the Sydney premiership. 'There is a bit of volatility in the Sydney trainers ranks with James (Cummings) going to Hong Kong,'' Baker continued. 'We will see what the new season brings but in terms of where I'm at, I'm comfortable with my numbers. 'We do have a bit more capacity there, with the team around me and my systems, we could handle a few more. 'But I have no real plans to have a satellite stable, I'm happy to be solely based at Warwick Farm – I'm Sydney-centric.'' â– â– â– â– â– Sprinter will need to be a star to fulfil Civic duties Iknowastar will have to achieve something no sprinter has managed in 50 years to win the Listed $200,000 Civic Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday. The Bjorn Baker-trained Iknowastar is burdened with 60kg – a hefty handicap that hasn't been shouldered to success in the feature winter sprint since Gilt Pattern in 1975. In fact, only four other horses have carried 60kg or more to win the Civic Stakes since the race was first run 75 years ago. The outstanding duo of Triton (1973) and Fine and Dandy (1961) also carried 60kg (9st 6lbs) to success while the race weight-carrying record is shared by Zambari (1972) and Foresight (1969) who both won under 60.5kg (9st 7lbs). 'Iknowastar gave the stable one of our highlights for the season when he won the Five Diamonds Prelude,'' Baker said. 'He's had that first-up run at Doomben but has improved since and his barrier trial (six lengths win at Rosehill) was very good. He's going really well again.'' â�ï¸�â�ï¸�â�ï¸�â�ï¸�â�ï¸� A five star win! Iknowastar leads all the way at Randwick, giving @RachelK11 a double! @aus_turf_club @BBakerRacing — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 25, 2024 Baker also has Raikkonen as fifth emergency for the Civic Stakes but still needs another four scratchings for the young sprinter to get into the start. 'Raikkonnen might be lucky to get in,'' Baker said. 'But he's in very good order and if he drew a barrier last start he probably wins. He's a young horse with a lot of ability.'' In early TAB Fixed Odds betting on the Civic Stakes, Raikkonen is at $5.50 and Iknowastar is at $10 behind the Joe Pr ide-trained Headley Grange at $3.30 favouritism. Baker has also entered Raikkonen ($3.10 favourite) for the Traffic Warden At Darley Handicap (1400m) in which the gelding has topweight of 63kg, with the trainer booking 2kg-claiming apprentice Anna Roper. The trainer has elected to start Miss Kim Kar ($5.50) alongside stablemate Stallone ($23) in QMS Media Handicap (1600m). 'Miss Kim Kar is racing in great form,'' Baker said. 'She won well at this track and then the race wasn't run to suit her last time. 'Stallone was disappointing last start but he's definitely better than that and we've put a tongue tie on him for Saturday.'' Miss Kim Kar storms home on the outside and wins the last at Randwick! ðŸ'¥ @djgibbons22 & @BBakerRacing get their double to close out the day! ✌ï¸� — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2025 Baker is optimistic about the chances of consistent Hollywood Hero in the Living Turf Handicap (1800m). 'Hollywood Hero is another horse who is having a really good preparation,'' Baker said. 'He's right at his peak and 1800m suits him.''
News.com.au
10-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Thoroughbred trainer John Hawkes has a Queensland Derby harness racing contender in Seathestars
Horses are both big business and a hobby for Hall of Fame thoroughbred trainer John Hawkes. The business side is the powerhouse stable Hawkes runs with sons Michael and Wayne with about 60 horses in work across Sydney and Melbourne, headed by The Everest contender Briasa. The hobby is harness racing. 'I grew up in Adelaide around lots of harness trainers, some real legends, and have great memories of going to the old Wayville track when I was about 15,' Hawkes. 'I've always loved the pacers and I must have raced about 20 of them with different mates over the years, mostly with Geoff Webster (trainer). Jenny (Hawkes' wife) and I love watching the trots of a Saturday night.' This Saturday they'll be watching one of their own when emerging three-year-old Seathestars – named after the former champion Irish thoroughbred – struts his stuff at Melton as a possible pointer to a Queensland Derby raid next month. 'I think he's a cog below the top ones at this stage, but he's getting there. He'll need to go really well from a bad draw (gate 11) this week to show he's worthy of a trip to Brisbane, but I'll leave that to Geoff (Webster),' Hawkes said. Seathestars has raced just 14 times for three wins and eight placings, including a third in the Group 2 Gold Chalice final at Bathurst in March. He narrowly won his last start at Melton on May 31. Jordan Leedham-driven Seathestars powers to an impressive victory in the final race of the night, the Nutrien Equine Pace at Melton, for trainer Geoff Webster. — The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) March 8, 2025 'He led and I don't think he's as good in front, he's more of a chaser at this stage,' Hawkes said. Hawkes' harness team grew when made a surprise appearance at the Nutrien Sydney Yearling Sales earlier this year and spent $260,000 on two yearlings. 'I had some friends who were keen to go in a horse or two with me and they are Sydney-based, so I bought a couple for Luke McCarthy to train,' Hawkes said. Those friends include star jockeys Tommy Berry, Tyler Schiller and Zac Lloyd. The marquee buy was a Captaintreacherous colt out of Island Banner, a daughter of former NZ Cup-winning mare Mainland Banner, who sold for $200,000. Hawkes said he and Jenny were huge fans of McCarthy's three-time Miracle Mile winner King Of Swing, whose first crop sold through the sale. 'Jenny really wanted a King Of Swing (yearling), too, so we picked up a nice one,' he said. It is a colt out of the well-related Kiwi mare Northern Velocity. 'Now we've just got to hope they'll turn out okay,' Hawkes said. 'The guys were keen to see them race up here so that's why we've gone with Luke, who is as good as it gets.' Back to the business side of horses and Hawkes can't wait to see Briasa back after a spell. 'He'll come back even better, you watch. What he's done so far has largely been on raw ability. He's very good, but he'll need to be aiming at a race like the Everest,' he said. 'We've had a really good season for a relatively small stable compared to the biggest and there's a few two-year-olds we're excited about seeing back next season.'
News.com.au
01-06-2025
- 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.''
