Team Hawkes is yet to decide if Brave One will compete in Sydney or Melbourne this weekend but whichever way they swing, the stable is confident he will be hard to beat.
The three-year-old has drawn awkwardly in barrier 12 for Saturday’s Quayclean Handicap (1300m) at Randwick, while he has fared better with gate 13 for the Shop Flemington Handicap (1100m) on the straight course.
However, co-trainer Michael Hawkes, who works in partnership with his father John and brother Wayne, says barriers won’t be their only consideration in determining where he steps out.
“Melbourne, it’s probably the right side to be drawing, the outside grandstand,” Hawkes said.
“But it’s 1100 down there and 1300 in Sydney. We’re going to weigh up the options, see what’s best for the horse.
“He can win in both places, to be honest. It’s actually just trying to find the right balance.”
The trainers have until Thursday evening to decide where Brave One will run and Hawkes says that is one of the advantages of having bases in two major racing centres.
“We can decide late because weather, tracks, all those things come into play,” he said.
“The way our system is, Melbourne and Sydney, it allows us to give our horses every opportunity to be placed in the best races.”
Gelded at the end of his last campaign, Brave One has turned in two competitive performances to start his latest preparation.
He finished runner-up to wet track specialist Cruel Summer in heavy conditions at Canterbury first-up and again struck testing ground when second to Kerguelen at Rosehill last time out.
More significantly, both were against older horses and on Saturday Brave One will revert to his own age group regardless of where he runs.
“The horse is going great,” Hawkes said.
“Whichever race he runs in, he is going to be very competitive and hard to beat.
“Dropping back to three-year-old grade is probably perfect for him, although I think he is going to be a better horse in time.”
Dylan Gibbons will ride Brave One if he steps out in Sydney while Jye McNeil has been booked for the Melbourne ride.
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