Squad shows stakes potential with Bendigo win

[Wandering Eyes]

Trainer Wayne Hawkes believes Squad can go on to bigger and better things following a comfortable win at Bendigo over the weekend.

Following a dominant 4.5-length win by Squad at Bendigo on Sunday, Wayne Hawkes is confident the three-year-old can measure up in stakes grade.

Squad led for the entirety of the 1100m 3YO Maiden Plate under Jye McNeil, winning the contest eased down with his ears pricked.

Although it was only a four-horse field on a Sunday, Hawkes believes his colt – who holds a Caulfield Guineas nomination – has plenty of potential.

“You’re hoping they come and do that,” Hawkes said.

“We know he has the ability, but you’re hoping they come and do it on a wet track. To be honest, my father and I ummed and ahhed for 24 hours whether we come or whether we don’t.

“Danny O’Brien said to me ‘mate it’s going to be a barrier trial for you and they’ll pay you’, so thanks Danny, took your advice, but it’s always good when they win like that.”

“Squad is really putting them to the sword.”

Squad skipped away from the field to win comfortably @HawkesRacing @JyeMcNeil @_BendigoJC pic.twitter.com/t5nXck9Wlf

— Racing.com (@Racing) August 14, 2022

Hawkes gave instructions to McNeil to not use the whip, so there was even more merit in Squad’s dominant display.

Sent out as an even-money favourite with most Australian betting sites, the horse gave punters a comfortable watch.

With the Caulfield Guineas a potential target, Hawkes has earmarked the Group 3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) on August 27 as the galloper’s next assignment at Caulfield.

The son of Shalaa was a $470,000 2021 Gold Coast Magic Millions purchase by Hawkes Racing, with co-trainer Wayne saying that they just had to have him.

“I remember the first day that my father and I saw him and Dad (John Hawkes) just said, ‘wow, there’s a horse’ – normally when he says that, he gets it quite right – so we had to buy him,” Hawkes said.

“There’s a race in 13 days’ time called the McNeil Stakes – that’s a perfect race for him.

“We’ll run him there in a stakes race and that’ll sort him out. The competition will be a little stronger, I would’ve thought, so he won’t have it as easy as what he did today, but he’s had a good outing which is good for the colt.”

Winning rider McNeil told Racing.com post-race that the horse has a bright future ahead of him.

Given he hardly let him go in Sunday’s maiden, the 2021/22 Victorian metropolitan premier says the sky is the limit for Squad.

“He jumped really well, put himself into a nice position – he was nice and relaxed – and I guess the only question mark we had coming here today was the wet surface,” McNeil said.

“I didn’t really have to put him under too much pressure, so he handled it well.

“It’s hard to get a gauge on what level, because I haven’t really fully tested him and don’t really know his full potential just yet. That’s always exciting moving forward.”

Squad is currently a $51 chance with online bookmakers for the Caulfield Guineas, which will be run over 1600m on October 8.

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