With Masked Crusader’s first look at the Flemington straight out of the way, it is full steam ahead to Saturday’s $1 million Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington.
The Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes-trained gelding was on Monday among 11 nominations for what shapes as one of the races of the year.
Nature Strip and Eduardo, who Masked Crusader split in last year’s The Everest, Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Home Affairs, one-time Golden Slipper favourite Profiteer and past winner Gytrash are among Masked Crusader’s likely rivals on Saturday.
The five-year-old had a soft hit-out in an 800m jumpout at Flemington on Friday morning against the likes of Nature Strip and Home Affairs, finishing sixth, beaten just over two lengths.
But the result was inconsequential to the Masked Crusader camp, which was just keen to see how he reacted to the straight ahead of Saturday’s 1000-metre event.
“He’s only had one look at the Flemington straight and that was on Friday. He’d never seen it before,” co-trainer Wayne Hawkes said.
“He’s an adaptable horse. He’s gone everywhere and won in most places, so he does everything pretty right, but the straight is the hardest place in Australia to win a race.”
Masked Crusader, who alternates between Hawkes Racing’s Flemington and Rosehill bases, has won seven of his 17 starts with his only four starts in Victoria all resulting in wins.
He broke his maiden at Caulfield at start No 2, backed that up with a win at Bendigo and scored his maiden Group 1 win in last year’s William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley.
His most recent Victorian start produced an explosive win in Group 3 The Heath, when he launched late to win the 1100-metre event, and it is that turn of foot Hawkes is hoping to see late on Saturday.
“How he flew at Caulfield first-up, would that be good enough up the straight? I reckon it would be,” Hawkes said.
The Black Caviar Lightning is the feature event on a Flemington program that also includes the G3 C.S. Hayes Sakes and G3 The Vanity for three-year-olds, and the Listed Talindert Stakes for two-year-olds.