hris Munce will keep the ride on Doncaster Mile runner-up Love Conquers All in two Group One races during the Queensland winter carnival.
Munce has been booked to ride the sprinter-miler, one of the star performers for the Hawkes family training partnership, in the Doomben 10,000 and Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm.
He is a runaway leader in the Brisbane jockeys’ premiership with 65-1/2 wins.
It’s been a long time between drinks for Munce in Brisbane’s feature sprints with his only Doomben 10,000 success coming aboard Perth sprinter Barrosa Boy in 1992.
He has two Stradbroke Handicap scalps with Dane Ripper in 1997 and Landsighting in 2000.
It’s a similar scenario for the Hawkes stable whose only Doomben 10,000 success was with Accomplice in 1997 before Crawl and Hire ran the quinella in the Stradbroke Handicap 10 years ago.
Michael Hawkes was the Brisbane foreman at the time of Crawl’s Stradbroke victory.
He returned to Sydney to train alongside his father John while brother Wayne remained in charge of their Melbourne stable after Bob Ingham sold the Crown Lodge operation to Darley.
Love Conquers All was ridden by Munce when the four-year-old was runner-up to Rangirangdoo in the Group One George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on April 2 and when second to Sacred Choice in the Group One Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick a fortnight later.
“He came through the Doncaster well and has had a freshen up,” said Michael Hawkes.
“He’ll have a barrier trial at Rosehill next Tuesday and depending how he goes he’ll probably head up to Queensland late next week.”
The Hawkes stable has a small team of three based at Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast, north of Brisbane, for the winter carnival.
“We’ve only got three here at the moment after sending Dao Dao for a spell following his Hollindale Stakes failure last Saturday,” Hawkes said.
“But a few more might come up later on.”
Hawkes rated Love Conquers All unlucky in the George Ryder behind Rangirangdoo.
“He was a bit stiff in the George Ryder but his Doncaster run was a fabulous effort considering he was caught in the worst section of the track from the 600 metres,” he said.
“He’s had a nice break after the Doncaster but he’ll only have the two runs in Brisbane before he goes out for a spell.
“He may come back for the latter part of the spring races in Sydney and Melbourne.”
AAP TURF
