Waller to train Orbis Bloodstock-owned horses after shock split from Hawkes
International racing and breeding operation Orbis Bloodstock has split from trainers Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes.
The Hong Kong business, which raced stallions North Pacific (Brazen Beau), Doubtland (Not A Single Doubt) and Ducimus (Snitzel), have transferred their horses to premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller.
The Orbis-owned Kingsheir (Kingman), a winner of three of his nine starts, was scratched from the Cerrone Handicap (2000m) at Randwick yesterday. After initially being listed as transferred on industry platform Racing Australia, hours later the four-year-old was shown to be in the care of neighbouring Rosehill trainer Waller.
Written Beauty (Written Tycoon), who won the Red Roses (Gr 3, 1100m) at Flemington last November, raced for the Hawkes’ on September 11 and was last night listed as “transferred”.
In the past, Orbis has shared their horses between Kris Lees, Kim Waugh and Michael Costa, but prior to last week’s shock move the Hawkes’ dual-state training business had been looking after the majority of the syndicate’s horses.
Gold Coast-based Bryan and Daniel Guy had also trained a portion of Orbis’ portfolio, which is heavily focused on trading to Asia, but they do not have any of its horses on their books at present. The horses under their care owned by Orbis had already been sold.
Orbis Bloodstock, which in recent times is believed to have been managed by Wayne Hawkes, began its investment in Australia slowly in 2014 before ramping it up in 2016 with the assistance of agent Justin Bahen.
After that, former jockey Paul King, who rode in Western Australia, NSW and internationally in Macau, was charged with both the buying and the management of Orbis’ horses including North Pacific, who was runner-up in last year’s Golden Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) before retiring to Newgate Farm this year.
Group 2 winner Doubtland stands at Widden Victoria.
Dio (Zoustar), the brother to three-time Group 1 winner Sunlight, was a $1.1 million Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale purchase by Orbis in 2020 who was in training with the Hawkes’. Stakes-placed at two, the three-year-old was in this week’s Inglis Digital October (Early) Online Sale but he has been withdrawn. He was listed as spelling on Racing Australia last night but Waller was declared as the trainer.
Orbis has also invested in breeding stock in recent years, buying a 50 per cent share in Group 1 winner In Her Time (Time Thief) privately during her racing career. They then bought out fellow owner Peter Brown at a valuation of $2 million at the 2020 Inglis Chairman’s Sale before reselling her for $2.2 million in foal to I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) at this year’s Chairman’s Sale.
According to official records, at least, Orbis did not buy any horses at the 2021 yearling sales.