Recently, the training venture run by Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes has experienced up-and-down results.

Their freshest win in Victoria was a Kilmore maiden from earlier this month, alongside Stakes-level achievement with Gangsta Granny in Sydney on March 7.

The stable often delivers powerful teams for the Melbourne and Sydney carnivals, including participants in three of five Group 1 races at Rosehill.

On Saturday, Caulfield hosts the William Reid Stakes (1200m), wrapping up Melbourne’s Group 1 schedule, where the Hawkes have Airman and Devil Night entered.

Airman remains winless approaching 18 months, penalized for his victory in the Group 2 Premiere Cup (1200m) at Randwick during October 2024.

Wayne Hawkes commented that Airman carries the class needed for Saturday’s event and has trialled sharply in readiness for his first outing post-November.

“He won the Premiere Stakes which is two weeks before The Everest and which is the best lead-up race to The Everest,” Hawkes said.

“You know he is up to that class of race, but he hasn’t won for 18 months, but I wouldn’t discard him.

“He’s going pretty well.”

Devil Night has secured one win across seven runs, highlighted by his conquest of the Blue Diamond Stakes, Melbourne’s leading juvenile race, on start two.

Spring brought mixed fortunes for the three-year-old, though Hawkes cited his fourth to Giga Kick in the Schillaci Stakes as a key performance.

Devil Night began autumn placed second behind Pallaton in Caulfield’s Zeditave Stakes (1200m) last month, with a recent quiet trial at Flemington.

“He’s going super and this is the race we’ve picked out for him,” Hawkes said.

“He was getting beaten in the spring behind Giga Kick, which isn’t bad for a three-year-old and Giga Kick is an Everest horse, and the bottom line is, there’s your form.

“Beau Mertens had a sit on him in his trial and I’m happy with the horse and how he’s going.”

Regarding which he prefers, Hawkes leaned marginally to Devil Night.

“He’s the fitter one,” Hawkes said.

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