The pressure is off Hawkes Racing after Sylvia’s Mother made a triumphant return in the Group Three Bellmaine Stakes at Caulfield.
The lightly raced four-year-old collected her sixth win from 10 starts but more importantly Sylvia’s Mother picked up her first win at black-type level in Saturday’s 1200m race for mares.
Ridden by Dwayne Dunn, Sylvia’s Mother ($3.60) stormed home from a midfield position to claim a last stride win from News Girl ($8.50) by a head with Invictus Salute ($12) 1-3/4 lengths away third.
“Now she’s a Group winner, so it’s job well done, so whatever she does for the rest of her career is now a bonus,” co-trainer Wayne Hawkes said.
“It was a good effort when you see how windy it is now.
“In the mounting yard before the race we were literally being blown away and being four back on the fence was probably not the place to be.
“You don’t realise how much the horses get moved around and knocked around and coming to the corner Dwayne had to push his way out.
“She certainly did it the hard way and is a good mare going somewhere.”
Hawkes said the Group One Newmarket Handicap at Flemington next month could prove to be a suitable assignment depending on how the mare recovers from her first-up success.
“Sometimes the Newmarket is not the strongest race but it is a massive, massive jump, but in saying that she is good up the straight,” Hawkes said.
“When you know they can run up the straight, it’s a big, big plus.”
