白德民 + 賀嘉時星期六再度合作攻堅
John Hawkes and Darren Beadman have taken different paths in the past year but will be reunited at Rosehill on Saturday hoping to recapture the spark that made them an unbeatable force in Sydney for so many years.
A nine-time premiership winning trainer, Hawkes left his job with Crown Lodge late last year to go into business with his two sons while seven-time premier rider Beadman was lured to Hong Kong on a contract with trainer John Moore.
With Hong Kong in hiatus until the season begins next month, Beadman has been holidaying in Sydney with no intention of riding.
But Hawkes reckons he needs to get in shape before he returns overseas and has booked him to ride Mentality in the Group Two Premiere Stakes (1200m) and Priceless Lad in the Dooleys Hcp (1100m).
"He needs the practice before he goes back to Hong Kong," Hawkes said.
"So I talked him into riding for me and who knows, we might fluke a winner."
The Premiere Stakes field was reduced to five with the no-shows of Danehill Smile and All Silent but the race is stacked with quality.
Mentality won the 2007 Randwick Guineas and was runner-up to subsequent English Group One winner Haradasun in the George Ryder Stakes and Doncaster Handicap that year and was one of the horses owned outside the Inghams' operation that went to Rosehill with Hawkes.
Triple Honour won this year's Doncaster while Reigning To Win is the other Group One winner in the race having claimed the 2006 TJ Smith in Brisbane.
Captain Bax is a last-start winner of the Group Three Missile Stakes while the only mare in the race, Hurried Choice, won the Group Two Challenge Stakes in March this year.
Beadman made several visits from Hong Kong to Sydney during the autumn and partnered Mentality to victory in the Canterbury Stakes and again when the horse was unplaced in the George Ryder Stakes and Doncaster Handicap on unsuitable heavy tracks.
Hawkes said the Rosehill track had dried out this week and he was happy to run Mentality.
"It's been very windy and it might even get up to good for Saturday," he said.
Priceless Lad has won four of his 12 starts, one early in his career with Beadman aboard and his other three with the champion jockey's apprentice son Mitchell on top.
Triple Honour has been posted as the $2.50 favourite ahead of Mentality and Reigning To Win at $3.50 while Captain Bax was at $8 and Hurried Choice a $9 chance.
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