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Team Hawkes are likely to keep Entirely Platinum in Melbourne for Saturday’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes 2014 despite the galloper being nominated for both The Metropolitan and Craven Plate in Sydney on Saturday as well.
A five-year-old son of Pentire, Entirely Platinum holds nominations for a trio of races across two states for the weekend but connections are leaning towards stepping him up to elite level company for the $500,000 Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m).
He is one of 28 early entries for the Turnbull this year which is shaping up as a crack showdown between the likes of Silent Achiever, Happy Trails, The Offer and a host of Chris Waller-trained horses.
Waller however could run many of his headline Turnbull entries, including smart mare Royal Descent, in the $500,000 Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) in Sydney instead.
Entirely Platinum is also in the mix for a Group 1 at Royal Randwick as well with the $400,000 Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) being considered for the in-form gelding.
Last time out he ran a devastatingly close second behind Gris Caro when defeated a nose in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on September 20.
A win there would have seen him enjoy a ballot free ride into the $3 million Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) back at the track a month later on October 18 for which he pays $41 to win through Ladbrokes.com.au.
Co-trainer Michael Hawkes believes Entirely Platinum should have won the Naturalism and will be hoping for atonement this weekend in Melbourne with the 2014 Caulfield Cup still on the cards.
“Entirely Platinum probably should have won last start but that’s racing, you don’t win them all,” he told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“We are still looking to get him into the Caulfield Cup but he has to win on Saturday to do that, same with La Amistad.
“If they win on Saturday they will run in the Caulfield Cup. If they don’t they probably don’t deserve to be there. It is simple as that.”
Team Hawkes will have representation in all four Group 1 races around the country this weekend including Redoute’s Choice mare La Amistad who runs in Sydney’s 2014 The Metropolitan.
She was last seen finishing fourth to Junoob in the Group 2 Hill Stakes (2000m) in an ordinary effort at Randwick a fortnight ago that she’ll need to be improving on to feature in Saturday’s feature.
“La Amistad is still 12 months away from her best but she deserves her chance at a trip she will enjoy on Saturday,” Hawkes said of the five-year-old who is a $51 outsider in futures Caulfield Cup betting at Ladbrokes.
The stable’s other Group 1 runners on Saturday are then Fastnet Rock filly Lady Sharapova in the Flight Stakes and Bernardini gelding Toydini in the Epsom Handicap both over 1600m at Randwick.
The Saturday race fields will be released later this morning with final acceptances published right here at Races.com.au followed by betting updates so you know who to back and who to sack online at Ladbrokes.com.au this weekend!
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