Team Hawkes were the guiding force behind the racing career of Group I ATC Doncaster Mile winner Brutal and have also prepared his first Group I winner as a sire in Nepotism and they unleashed a debut winner by him at Geelong on Friday.
Three year-old gelding Trapdoor was sent off as favourite for the 1200m maiden with champion jockey Blake Shinn to ride and showed his class when surging clear to win by two and a half lengths.
He settled back in the field and when given clear running let down with a big turn of foot and ran right through the line to win with authority.
Wayne Hawkes was well pleased with the debut effort of Trapdoor, but believes time will be his best friend.
“He's a lovely horse and it was an exceptional ride (from Blake) to be fair because he went backwards to get him balanced and probably about the six, seven hundred mark he just wasn't really tracking well or traveling well and Blake just brought him back and back again to get him underneath him," Hawkes said.
“Then he just peeled to the outside, took his time. and he was letting him hit the line. He didn't panic, he knew what was underneath the hood.
“He's just a big, raw, immature horse. And he's more of a next time around horse, to be totally honest.
“We just wanted to give him one run to see how he fared and more than likely we will put him away now.”
Blake Shinn rode Trapdoor in recent jumpout so was happy to steer him to a debut win.
“He did a good job. I think it's a great sign when horses can win their debut, especially in the manner that he did,” he said.
“He was in an awkward position, but we were able to get out just before the turn and he has a lovely big action so was able to build from the 400m and he rounded them up pretty nicely and won with a fair bit in hand.”
Trapdoor runs for a partnership that includes his breeder Rupert Legh, who was also in the ownership of Brutal.
He is the second winner from three to race from Midoriyama, a metro winning Pierro mare from stakes-winner Gliding, a half-sister by Flying Spur to five time Group I winner and $4million earner Eremein.
Midoriyama produced a filly last spring by Exceedance and is due to foal again to Brutal, who stands at Newgate at a fee of $16,500.
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