Trainer Michael Hawkes gets a deep satisfaction from Makarena, not just because it’s owned by his family but that he, father John, and brother Wayne have “got it right” with her this spring.
The talented mare came into the spring without a black type win but with a stack potential that was converted when she was too good for Amelia’s Jewel in the group 2 Golden Pendant a fortnight ago.
Makarena extends away from her rivals in the Golden Pendant at Rosehill.Credit: Getty Images
She had had a throat operation after an autumn littered with group placings, and that win allows her to be tested in the $1.5 million Alan Brown Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday before possibly heading to the Invitation and Golden Eagle.
“We wanted to get the group win out of her first because she’d been so consistent last time with an issue,” Hawkes said. “We’ve rectified that issue and she has been great and won a group 2.
“We’ve got that on her CV now, so she’s worth a lot of money and she’s an exciting mare moving forward.
“When we get it right like that, it’s just a good feeling
“There’s a good group of races for her starting on Saturday, and she could race for $15 million in next month.
“We are focused on Saturday, where we would have liked to draw a bit better but she is going well.”
Team Hawkes found the Snitzel filly at the sales and she is raced in partnership by their wives Clare, Jenny and Jane, so Golden Pendant day was well celebrated. A video of a Macarena dance was posted on social media and is becoming a tradition.
It featured Michael Hawkes and jockey Zac Lloyd after the Golden Pendant, but it was John Hawkes who was the first seen dancing after the Tapp-Craig win at this time last year.
The celebrations show how important Makarena has become to the family.
“It is the best because they understand everything. They understand the flaws and the faults and everything that can go wrong,” Hawkes said of training for his mum, sister-in-law and wife.
“They are the easiest people to train for.
“They get disappointed like everyone else, but it was the best feeling to get the Golden Pendant with Makarena because they are involved.”
Team Hawkes have made a winning start to the season and might have a group 1 horse by the end of the month in Swiftfalcon.
The Exceedance three-year-old is unbeaten this spring, winning over 1400m at Flemington before an explosive win in the Dulcify Quality at Randwick last week.
But with the Spring Champion Stakes only a fortnight away, Hawkes wants to test Swiftfalcon over 1800m in the Gloaming Stakes on Saturday, where he is a $2.70 favourite.
“He had 62kg at Flemington, they went slow and he was three wide. It was probably every bit as good as the Dulcify win,” Hawkes said.
“It might not have looked as visually good because in the Dulcify he put them away so quickly. The good thing is we know there is more to come from him.
“He is by one of our stallions in Exceedance and is just an exciting horse because we don’t know where he could end up.
“We are backing up over the 1800m to get a guide if he will stay, because the Spring Champion looks a beautiful race for him if does stay.
“It is step by step with him but we know we are taking a couple of really good ones to the races on the weekend.”
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