Team Hawkes Duo Included In McCarten Stakes Field

Team Hawkes have included both Deep Field and Chautauqua in the 2015 McCarten Stakes nominations, but Chautauqua is extremely unlikely to contest the Group 3 event at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Deep Field will return to racing in the McCarten Stakes at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Photo by: Steve Hart

Deep Field will return to racing in the McCarten Stakes at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Photo by: Steve Hart

Chautauqua is set return to Group 1 level and take on the likes of Terravista and Lankan Rupee in the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington on Saturday, but co-trainer Wayne Hawkes said that the stable elected to enter the son of Encosta De Lago in the entries for the McCarten Stakes as a safeguard.

“Who knows what might happen? The track might be under water,” Hawkes said.

“He’s in Melbourne and he’s going to run in the Newmarket.

“We nominate horses in Melbourne and Sydney all the time, we put them in those races because you can’t put them in after the event.

“We just wanted to keep him fresh.

“He could run in the Doncaster, we’re just using the straight to his advantage because he’s a great straight horse.”

While Chautauqua will remain in Melbourne to contest the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m), Deep Field has settled back in Sydney and is set to return to the races in the McCarten Stakes this weekend.

Deep Field went into the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on February 21 as a clear favourite, but he was no match for Lankan Rupee in the final stages of the race and he had the undefeated start to his racing career ended.

Team Hawkes elected not to rule Deep Field out of the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1100m) last weekend, but they were quick to point out that there was nothing wrong with the horse and they were giving him the opportunity to settle in Sydney before he returned to the races.

Rounding out the Team Hawkes-trained duo in the McCarten Stakes is Nostradamus, who will be returning to racing in Sydney for the first time since he finished second behind Brazen Beau in the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival.

Nostradamus returned to racing with a credible eighth in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 28 and remains in the nominations for the Group 1 T.J. Smith Stakes (1200m).

Boss Lane, Hurrara, I’m All The Talk, Kencalla, Ryker, Tahitian Black and Target In Sight have also been included in the 2015 McCarten Stakes nominations.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.