Results have varied lately for the training partnership of Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes.
Their latest success in Victoria came from a Kilmore maiden earlier this month, while they enjoyed Stakes company victory courtesy of Gangsta Granny in Sydney on March 7.
The team typically fields solid contenders amid the Melbourne and Sydney carnivals and boasts entries in three of the five Group 1 events at Rosehill.
The William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield this Saturday marks Melbourne’s last Group 1 of the season, with the Hawkes outfit featuring Airman and Devil Night.
Airman hasn’t tasted victory in nearly 18 months, suffering the consequences of his Group 2 Premiere Cup (1200m) triumph at Randwick back in October 2024.
Wayne Hawkes noted Airman possesses the talent to compete in Saturday’s feature and has impressed in trials ahead of his return since November.
“He won the Premiere Stakes which is two weeks before The Everest and which is the best lead-up race to The Everest,” Hawkes said.
“You know he is up to that class of race, but he hasn’t won for 18 months, but I wouldn’t discard him.
“He’s going pretty well.”
Devil Night boasts just a single victory from seven outings but captured Melbourne’s top juvenile contest, the Blue Diamond Stakes, on his second appearance.
The three-year-old endured an inconsistent spring, yet Hawkes highlighted his closing effort that campaign, finishing fourth to Giga Kick in the Schillaci Stakes.
Devil Night kicked off his autumn with a runner-up effort to Pallaton in the Zeditave Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield last month, followed by a straightforward trial at Flemington.
“He’s going super and this is the race we’ve picked out for him,” Hawkes said.
“He was getting beaten in the spring behind Giga Kick, which isn’t bad for a three-year-old and Giga Kick is an Everest horse, and the bottom line is, there’s your form.
“Beau Mertens had a sit on him in his trial and I’m happy with the horse and how he’s going.”
Asked to choose between the pair, Hawkes slightly favoured Devil Night.
“He’s the fitter one,” Hawkes said.
Explore the Australian betting sites for top odds ahead of the William Reid Stakes.
