Brisbane Winter Carnival bound Our Boy Malachi is set to resume in the Group 3 $150,000 Ticketek Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Our Boy Malachi will resume in the Hall Mark Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Team Hawkes trained Our Boy Malachi is one of nineteen gallopers nominated for the set weights and penalties sprint on the last day of the Sydney Autumn Carnival.
Our Boy Malachi had won thirteen of his first fifteen starts in Queensland for Rockhampton trainer John O’Sing before being transferred to John, Wayne and Michael Hawkes at Rosehill.
From three Sydney starts for the Hawkes stable, the Top Echelon speedster is undefeated and will head back to the Sunshine State after Saturday to contest the Group 1 sprints during the Brisbane Winter Carnival, the $500,000 BTC Cup (1200m), the $750,000 Doomben 10000 (1350m) and the $2m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1350m), all at Doomben this year.
First up for Team Hawkes Our Boy Malachi scored in fine style in the $85,000 Turner Freeman Lawyers Flying (1100m) at Rosehill on November 1 last year.
They then stepped the gelding up to Stakes level and the former Queensland flyer had no trouble winning the Listed $100,000 Starlight Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on November 29 and the Listed $100,000 Thoroughbred Breeders NSW Razor Sharp (1200m) at Randwick on December 13.
Michael Hawkes told RSN’s Racing Ahead that the team had considered starting Our Boy Malachi in the Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on the first day of ‘The Championships’, but decided to let subsequent winner Chautauqua represent the stable.
“The T.J. Smith was there for him but Chautauqua was fit and ready for the race and he would have been first up going into it so we’ve elected to wait and go to the Hall Mark,” Hawkes said.
“He’s a quality horse and we think he’s improved again and after this run he’ll head up to Brisbane for the BTC Cup (1200m), Doomben 10,000 (1350m) and Stradbroke (1350m).”
Generalife, Target In Sight, Hot Snitzel, Rain Affair and Heart Testa are set to clash again in the Hall Mark Stakes after filling the first five placings in that order in the Group 3 $150,000 Irresistible Pools & Spas Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 28.
Co-trainer David Hayes and Tom Dabernig have nominated Fast ‘N’ Rocking for the Hall Mark Stakes as well as for the Group 1 $400,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday and trainer Gary Portelli has followed the same strategy with Rebel Dane.
Scone trainer Rodney Northam is hoping his smart sprinter Big Money can continue on his winning way and make it a hat trick of wins in the Hall Mark Stakes on the weekend.
Big Memory has been in the winner’s circle at his last two visits to Doomben with victories in the Group 3 $200,000 Channel Seven George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on December 6 and in the Listed $175,000 Garrards Lough Neagh Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on December 20.
