Andrew Hawkins

This is it – the first of the big features of the Melbourne spring, the Caulfield Cup over 2400m. It’s a great spectacle every year, but this year it looks …

Race 9 – GROUP 1 DUBAI WORLD CUP (2000m, Tapeta) The world’s richest race has attracted an international field this year, with the Europeans supporting the race more than in …

Race 8 – GROUP 1 DUBAI SHEEMA CLASSIC (2400m, Turf) This is a race which will depend largely on tactics. There will be a riot if Japan Cup winner GENTILDONNA …

Race 7 – GROUP 1 DUBAI DUTY FREE (1800m, Turf) The first of the big races on the cards, and probably the one which holds the most interest to Australians. …

Race 6 – GROUP 1 DUBAI GOLDEN SHAHEEN (1200m, Tapeta) A race which has not proven fruitful at all for Australian horses – we have had eight runners over the …

Race 4 – GROUP 2 UAE DERBY (1900m, Tapeta) This is always a difficult race to assess with so many different formlines coming together. I do think the main lead …

Race 3 – GROUP 3 DUBAI GOLD CUP (3200m, Turf) This race, ever so controversial last year at its first running on Dubai World Cup night, will be looking to …

Race 2 – GROUP 2 GODOLPHIN MILE (1600m, Tapeta) Of all the thoroughbred races, this race tends to attract the least attention in Australia. It is the poor cousin of …

Race 1 – GROUP 1 DUBAI KAHAYLA CLASSIC (2000m, Tapeta) Purebred Arabian form is hardly my forte, so I’ve applied similar form principles to what I’d use with other form …

Former Coolmore galloper who was bought by OTI in August last year. He raced in England as Quest For Peace, with the “My” prefix added on because another Australian horse …

2010 Melbourne Cup placegetter who is a favourite of Australian punters. His spring of 2010 was incredible – I still remember being at Canterbury six weeks before the Melbourne Cup …

English import who won his first four starts in Australia for Gai Waterhouse, including the Newcastle Cup in September and The Metropolitan easily in October. That was amazing in itself, …

Lloyd Williams import who was a beaten favourite in the Cox Plate last week. Prior to that, he’d finished fifth in the Memsie Stakes and second in the Dato Tan …

Ethiopia’s the big query of the field. This time last year, Ethiopia hadn’t even set foot on a racetrack. In fact, he didn’t have his first start until February this …

American Group 1 winner who joined Bart Cummings earlier this year, following a success in the Hollywood Turf Cup in November last year. He took a long time to show …

Irish import who has been in Australia since early 2010. He was initially bought for the 2010 Melbourne Cup but didn’t make the race. Last year, he made the final …

My early Melbourne Cup tip, back in July, who has not run since a good win in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes in August. I still remember seeing him win first …

2010 Melbourne Cup winner who is a favourite amongst Australian racing fans. He’s only finished outside the top four once in Australia, and that was over the unsuitable distance of …