With eight of the twelve acceptors scratched due to the heavy track, Sunday’s highly anticipated 1100m 3yo maiden at Bendigo could have turned out a non-event. But it was far from that, and the Hawkes stable believes it featured a colt that has the potential to mix it with the best.
The Shalaa (IRE) colt Squad looked the part in the paddock and even better when strolling to a four-and-a-half lengths win under a hand ride by Jye McNeil.
The striking near-black debutant led at every call in defeating the Magnus gelding Makusha with the Frosted (USA) colt River Frost a short-neck back in third.
“You hope they come and do that. We know he has the ability, but you hope they do that on a heavy track,” Wayne Hawkes said.
“My father (John) and I ummed and ahhed for 24 hours whether to come or whether we don’t.
“Danny O’Brien said it is going to be a barrier trial for you, and they will pay you.
“I remember the first day my father and I saw him (at the sales). Dad just said, ‘wow, there’s a horse.’ When he says that he is often right, so we had to buy him.
“The Shalaas are getting a name for wet trackers. Obviously, they go on the dry, but it has been wet everywhere you turn for the last 12 months. Having stallions that love wet tracks is a bonus as the Spring carb=nivls here and The Autumn Carnivals in Sydney are wet.
“He is a lovely horse going somewhere. He is a stakes horse so you would want him to do what he did.
“There is a race in 13 days named the McNeil Stakes, and that is the perfect race for him. We will run him there, and that will sought him out.”
Bred by Encompass International, Squad was a $470,000 purchase for Hawkes racing from the Vinery Stud draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He is the first runner for the Azamour mare Sagamiyna (FR), an Aga Khan-bred half-sister to Group 1 Prix St Alary winner Sagawara (Shamardal).
A €100,000 purchase by Belmont Bloodstock at the 2015 Arqana Breeding Stock Sale, Sagamiyna (FR) is a granddaughter of the magnificent matron Saganeca (Sagace), whose daughter Shastye (Danehill) added further fame to the line as the dam of Japan, Secret Mogul, Secret Gesture, Sir Isaac Newton and Maurus.
A yearling Merchant Navy filly out of Sagamiyna (FR) sold for just $22,000 at the 2022 Inglis HTBA May Yearling Sale.
Sagamiyna (FR)) has a yearling sister to Squad and was covered by Exceedance last spring.
