Gallo Nero to go the distance in BRC Sires’

By Mandy Cottell and Craig Brennan 

Michael Hawkes says Gallo Nero “has a very good race in him” and the youngster will be given a chance to prove it at Eagle Farm.

The BRC Sires' Produce Stakes will be a fork in the road for the emerging colt as he faces a key distance test that will determine his future goals.

The two-year-old has been restricted to shorter sprints in his brief career to date but extends to 1400 metres for the first time in Saturday's Eagle Farm feature as a precursor to a possible tilt at the Group 1 J.J. Atkins next month.

"His next run will determine whether he goes to the J.J. or whether he goes to the paddock and gets ready for the latter part of the spring," Michael Hawkes said, who trains in partnership with his father John and brother Wayne.

"He has never been over 1400 before and we're mindful of that.

"He's a good colt. He has got a very good race in him. We have set him for the Sires' and he is going really well."

A Randwick winner over 1100 metres in December, Gallo Nero finished a game third behind O'Ole in the Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast a month later.

Feeling he had reached the end of his campaign, 'Team Hawkes' opted to spell him and aim towards winter features in Queensland with Gallo Nero getting his latest preparation off to a strong start with narrow second to Saturday's rival Cool Archie in the Spirit Of Boom Classic.

He might have gone down by a neck, but Michael Hawkes said the horse came home a winner in the eyes of his trainers.

"He won the race as far as we're concerned but unfortunately just doesn't get the kudos," Michael Hawkes said.

"He was no closer than three and four wide the whole way and the other horse just sliced and diced through and got the rails run.

"That's the difference with barriers. When you draw a bad barrier, you just have to go back. Had he drawn a decent barrier he would have been two or three pairs closer. His run was enormous."

Michael Hawkes' only reservation was how much that effort had taxed Gallo Nero first-up given the heavy track conditions, although he said the youngster appeared to have taken no ill effects.

"It was a hard run first-up and on a wet track," Michael Hawkes said.

"It does take a bit out of them, but he has bounced back well so I'm looking forward to the race on Saturday."

Tyler Schiller will partner Gallo Nero from barrier eight in the capacity field of 18 plus three reserves.

Meanwhile, Jason Warren has his eyes on a three-year-old race at Caulfield which he hopes will lead to a stakes race in Brisbane for Flyer.

The Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes at Eagle Farm on June 14 has been selected as Flyer's goal this campaign, but first the filly needs a win on the board to earn a trip north.

Warren has Flyer entered in three races at Caulfield on Saturday – the Listed Bel Esprit Stakes, the 1200 metre Three-Year-Old Handicap and a Benchmark 78 race for fillies and mares over 1200 metres. 

He has also thrown in a nomination for the fillies and mares Benchmark 78 Handicap over 1200 metres at Rosehill on Saturday.

Warren said his preferred option was to stay at Caulfield and run in the Three-Year-Old Handicap, which is a heat of the Creswick Sprint Series, in which Flyer has been allotted 55kg.

"We've had her entered everywhere and my aim is to take her to Queensland for the Dane Ripper which is run on Stradbroke Day at Eagle Farm," Warren said.

"But, she will need to win her next start to qualify for a race like that.

"I'm looking at the Creswick, more so because of the six furlongs and it's against her own age and she gets in with 55 kilos."

Flyer showed a return to form at Morphettville last start when she chased home Cleo Cat in the Group 3 Proud Miss Stakes on May 10.

At her previous outing, Flyer was brought undone by the heavy surface at Moonee Valley on April 26, her second run back after 11 months away from the racetrack.

Warren explained he wasn't happy with how Flyer began her preparation last spring and opted for another stint on the sidelines instead.

"I wasn't happy with when she came in last prep but she's in great shape now," Warren said.

"She just needed a decent surface, which she got last time, and she was able to put a good run back on the board.

"Hopefully we'll get another good surface for her on Saturday."