“I think we paid 55,000 guineas, which was about $140,000-$150,000 at the time. We loved the breed from day one, and everyone else has jumped on board.
“He’s a big, strong horse so hopefully he can do us proud tomorrow and run a nice even, solid effort.”
Alysha Collett rides Altivo from gate 11 at just 53 kilograms. He was $26 (TAB) on Friday. Altivo carries the colours of prominent owner Rupert Legh, who won the 2020 Festival Stakes with Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes-trained Outrageous.
“It was a good run,” Hawkes said of Altivo’s first-up effort.
“He probably should have finished fourth of fifth, and had he stayed to the fence he probably would have hit the line better.
“With that amount of time off, they do go a bit out of shape, but he’s back in the swing of things and going well.
“It’s a nice second-up race, he’s definitely got the ability, but he just probably lacks that match fitness.”
Wootton Bassett died at age 17 two months ago while at Coolmore Australia.
The Hawkes have higher hopes for debutant Dr Hook ($3.70), which contests the 1100m two-year-old race. The Too Darn Hot colt, out of multiple group 3-winning mare Sylvia’s Mother, was sharp late to win his only trial, at Rosehill on November 18, and has gate two on Saturday.
“They don’t trial much better than he did, even older ones don’t trial as good as he did,” Hawkes said.
“He’s only had the one trial, everything else has had two or three, but that’s just because of the way this race falls.
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“He’s well, he’s drawn great and he’ll jump and put himself thereabouts. He’s just kept improving and he’s a very nice colt.
“We trained his mum. She was very, very good and the Crosbys [Pam and Rob], they’ve been great clients of ours and they’ve got another one on their hands.”
Hawkes also has Apex ($16), a last-start Canterbury winner, in the fifth. Tyler Schiller rides Apex and Dr Hook.
“Apex just needs a bit of luck from the draw,” he said.
“He’s going great and he’s won second-up before.”
