Promising stayer Master Of Wine will resume at Rosehill for what is likely to be a light autumn preparation.
Hawkes Racing is taking a softly, softly approach with the five-year-old who they hope can develop into a Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup aspirant in the spring.
With that in mind, co-trainer Michael Hawkes says Master Of Wine is unlikely to be overtaxed this autumn, starting with a 1400m-race on Saturday.
“There are no real plans for many of the main horses of ours. We just want to get them back and get them racing then we’ll see where they head,” Hawkes said.
“For someone like him, he’s probably a Cups horse in the spring but we just want to give him a light prep and see where we go.
“He has trialled well and done everything right.”
Imported from England, Master Of Wine is entering his third Australian preparation.
He has shown promise from the outset and began to deliver on it last spring with back-to-back wins at Randwick, including a victory in the Listed City Tatts Cup over the Caulfield Cup distance of 2400 metres.
At the other end of the spectrum, Hawkes Racing will unveil two-year-old North Pacific in the Group Two Silver Slipper (1100m).
The youngster closed off nicely in a recent barrier trial behind Saturday’s rival Farnan and shares the second line of betting at $8 along with Blaze A Trail and Global Quest.
Golden Slipper favourite Cellsabeel dominates markets at $1.55 as she looks to bump up her prize money to cement a start in the world’s richest two-year-old race.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained filly missed a scheduled run in the $2 million Inglis Millennium when the race was pushed back five days because of wet weather and will be having her first start in more than a month.
Hawkes Racing will also saddle up the consistent Greyworm in the Blue Datto Foundation Handicap (1100m) while Spend has been accepted for Group Two Hobartville Stakes (1400m) in Sydney and Group Three Zeditave Stakes (1200m) in Melbourne.
