Makarena (AUS)
3 f Snitzel – Wecansay Mak by Starcraft
O: Mrs J E Hawkes, Mrs C A Hawkes, Mrs J E Hawkes, Mr G R Lechte, Mrs C A Lechte
T: Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes
B: Arrowfield Stud
S: Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale V: Arrowfield Stud P: Hawkes Racing, $250,000
W: Paulele @ Darley Handicap, 1250m, September 13, Canterbury
Having finished an eye-catching second to promising colt Nadal (Xtravagant) on debut over 1100 metres at Randwick-Kensington on August 23, the Team Hawkes-trained Makarena (Snitzel) showed her talent when shedding her maiden status at the second time of asking at Canterbury on Wednesday.
Clearly relishing the step up to 1250 metres, the filly was forced forward by Zac Lloyd after being caught deep in the early stages and, after racing prominently, the daughter of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) joined the leader Kaizad (Capitalist) at the 600-metre mark.
Putting pressure on that rival as they rounded the turn for home, she battled bravely up the straight, eventually defeating Kaizad by a neck. Ostraka (Pariah) finished another two and a quarter lengths further adrift in third.
“Nothing went right for her. When she got caught deep and Zac elected to go forward, they put a bit of speed on,” Michael Hawkes said after the win.
“But the bit I loved most was between the six and seven hundred-metre mark; he brought her back underneath. She trucked up on the corner with her ears pricked. She doesn’t know what she is doing yet. The last 50 metres was the best part of the race, because Zac put the whip away and rode hands and heels, and she drew away.
“It takes a good horse to do what she did. She is a good filly, still very raw and still not there yet.”
Purchased by her trainers for $250,000 from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale last year, Makarena is out of winning mare Wecansay Mak (Starcraft) making her a half-sister to two further winners; 2020 Summoned Stakes (Gr 3, 1500m) triumphant Missile Mantra (Smart Missile) and Maximak (Smart Missile), who was placed at stakes level.
Wecansay Mak is a sister to New Zealand Group 1 winner We Can Say It Now, the dam of French Group 3 scorer Sky Kingdom (Montjeu).
Showing their high opinion of the filly, Hawkes Racing re-invested in the family when they purchased Makarena’s Castelvecchio (Dundeel) half-brother for $150,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale earlier this year. The mare was covered by Dundeel last September.