Halcon Co.

15/10/2022

What a result for Halcon Co. client Highclere Racing Australia as they take the $5 million Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) with the remarkable Durston. It’s the biggest result for Highclere in Australia so far and he is poised to head to the Melbourne Cup next.

12/10/2022

Halcon Co. client Highclere Racing Australia is potentially poised to have two runners in the world's richest mile and a half handicap, the Caulfield Cup.

Great House, who finished fifth last year, is set to run once again and has drawn barrier three while recent Newcastle Gold Cup and Wyong Gold Cup winner Durston is first emergency but will jump from gate six should he gain a start.

An exciting few days ahead for Highclere owners!

11/10/2022

Fantastic to join with Betfair Australia on the road to the Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse. I will be writing a weekly piece for them in the lead-up to the Melbourne Cup, three weeks from today, while my comprehensive preview - celebrating 15 years in 2022 - has found a new home with them. Check out my first piece for them here: https://www.betfair.com.au/hub/expertpreviews/melbourne-cup-tips/?utm_campaign=MelbourneCup&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_content=tips

Announcement: www.sen.com.au/news/2022/10/10/andrew-hawkins-joins-betfair-for-2022-spring-racing-carnival/

10/10/2022

Andrew Hawkins Racing has morphed into Halcon Co. - offering content, research, consulting and race planning services for the horse racing industry.

Among our partners are World Horse Racing, Highclere Racing Australia, Flemington Racecourse and Victoria Racing Club, ANZ Bloodstock News, Racing Post, HKJC Racing, Sam Kavanagh Racing and Betfair Australia with more to come.

Stay tuned for further news!

www.halconco.com.au

03/04/2021

Happy Easter! For those who don't already know, I've now been working for Highclere Racing Australia for the last two months as their new racing manager. Certainly a change of pace and plenty to get my head around but hoping to guide one of the world's most famous syndicators to success down under. Please give the Highclere Racing Australia page a follow for all of the latest news and information regarding our stable of horses, including my first English purchase Hint Of Stars (pictured) - he is likely to run at Royal Ascot!

05/03/2020

We are delighted to announce that ANZ Bloodstock News has a new editor - Andrew Hawkins!

"(I'm) excited for what the future holds with ANZ Bloodstock News. It’s a publication I’ve read for years, so to now have the chance to work with ANZ & Racing Post Bloodstock is a terrific opportunity. Bring it on!"

Read more in today's edition: https://bit.ly/2vCg0C4

31/01/2020

Ahead of tomorrow's G1 Sun Met at Kenilworth in Cape Town, check out this feature on rising star Adam Marcus Racing for new site Asian Racing Hub. The Sun Met will be simulcast into Hong Kong for the third year in a row, with Adam saddling up Vardy and Twist Of Fate. Really enjoyed writing this one.

https://asian-racinghub.com/2020/01/31/new-kid-on-the-block-how-adam-marcus-is-continuing-one-of-south-africas-great-racing-dynasties/

By Andrew Hawkins Ask any foreigner what they know about Cape Town and, almost without exception, those that know anything at all will respond: “Table Mountain.” The monolithic, flat-topped Table M…

26/01/2020

Thanks to Bass Racing Stables for having us at their beach event at Melbosstrand on January 17.

17/01/2020

History was created at the 2020 Cape Thoroughbred Sales Cape Premier Yearling Sale in Cape Town last night as the first South African yearlings purchased specifically to race in Australia went through the ring.

My report as run by Breednet (Photo: Liesl King)

https://www.breednet.com.au/news/9179/south-african-sale-topper-filly-destined-for-australia

11/01/2020

About to kick off at Kenilworth for L'Ormarins Queen's Plate Day. It was very tough going at Sha Tin earlier, hopefully we can bounce back with a big day (or night, depending on where you are) on what is one of South Africa's premier racedays.

R1: 8, 2, 1, 4
R2: 8, 5, 7, 1
R3: 12, 5, 3, 1
R4: 3, 1, 2, 9
R5: 6, 5, 1, 2
R6: 1, 6, 3, 8
R7: 4, 2, 6, 7
R8: 2, 4, 8, 3
R9: 2, 5, 1, 13
R10: 7, 1, 4, 6

11/01/2020

Selections coming up from both Sha Tin 🇭🇰 and Kenilworth 🇿🇦 today. Hong Kong kicks off in just over 90 minutes with a 10-race card.

R1: 9, 10, 4, 13
R2: 8, 14, 5, 10
R3: 1, 7, 12, 6
R4: 13, 1, 2, 9
R5: 3, 5, 7, 4
R6: 2, 14, 1, 9
R7: 2, 7, 5, 13
R8: 10, 12, 2, 3
R9: 8, 5, 6, 2
R10: 2, 10, 5, 13

10/01/2020

The two-day L'Ormarins Queen's Plate Festival kicks off today at Kenilworth, the oldest racetrack in South Africa. Today's feature is Race 7, the G2 Sceptre Stakes (1200m). Tune in! 🇿🇦

R1: 7, 6, 5, 1
R2: 8, 7, 1, 5
R3: 10, 4, 3, 2
R4: 9, 3, 15, 2
R5: 8, 1, 10, 4
R6: 6, 5, 10, 4
R7: 2, 1, 8, 9
R8: 6, 3, 13, 2

08/01/2020

Good morning from Cape Town! 🇿🇦

Hong Kong tonight features the only stakes race at Happy Valley, the G3 January Cup (1800m) 🇭🇰

R1: 1, 5, 7, 10
R2: 9, 1, 4, 2
R3: 11, 2, 3, 6
R4: 2, 7, 3, 12
R5: 7, 8, 2, 9
R6: 2, 1, 8, 3
R7: 4, 11, 7, 8
R8: 4, 11, 10, 3
R9: 2, 8, 4, 3

05/01/2020

Hong Kong racing comes up at Sha Tin this afternoon 🇭🇰

Plenty of interesting runners, including the HK debut of Australian Guineas runner-up Hawkshot (now Beauty Legacy) 🇦🇺

First race comes up at 3:15pm ADST (12:15pm local time)

Hoping to build on what was a very successful New Year's Day meeting at Sha Tin. Here are my 🇭🇰 selections for today.

R1: 5, 6, 9, 4
R2: 3, 7, 8, 5
R3: 4, 10, 12, 1
R4: 2, 7, 8, 3
R5: 1, 10, 3, 9
R6: 8, 3, 2, 12
R7: 5, 4, 1, 12
R8: 2, 4, 3, 8
R9: 14, 3, 12, 5
R10: 3, 1, 6, 11

02/01/2020

The 2020 Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale kicks off next week. Great to be able to contribute to their annual magazine, discussing what leading industry figures see as the world's great race. Click here to have a read: https://issuu.com/magicmillions/docs/mmgc2020-lr

On behalf of the team at Magic Millions, we proudly welcome you to the 2020 The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions Carnival.

01/01/2020

Hong Kong racing for 2020 begins in an hour. 🇭🇰

Form finished at 40,000ft - awesome when you get a view like this of Mt Fuji! 🇯🇵

Today’s Sha Tin feature is the G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup over the 1400m. Here are my selections:

R1: 4, 5, 3, 6
R2: 3, 12, 6, 7 (best)
R3: 1, 2, 11, 6
R4: 2, 3, 6, 8 (value)
R5: 13, 11, 4, 6
R6: 6, 5, 8, 3
R7: 8, 6, 7, 2
R8: 8, 5, 9, 11
R9: 7, 13, 14, 2
R10: 5, 12, 2, 4

28/12/2019

Only six days since Lys Gracieux scorched the turf in the Arima Kinen; already, the Cox Plate hero has joined all of the past Arima Kinen winners in a walk of fame at Nakayama Racecourse. Today sees Japan’s final G1 of 2019, the Hopeful Stakes over 2000m for the two-year-olds. I’m with Contrail to stamp himself as the next big thing in 🇯🇵 from Authority and Rhinebeck.

26/12/2019

Go behind the binoculars with Tom Wood as Hong Kong’s racecaller brings them home in the fifth at Happy Valley.

26/12/2019

Looking forward to heading across to Happy Valley for tonight's Boxing Day meeting in Hong Kong. Here are my selections for the card. Hoping that the Tony Millard stable might be able to have two winners from just two runners!

R1 - 3, 12, 6, 1
R2 - 5, 3, 4, 10
R3 - 8, 5, 3, 12
R4 - 2, 11, 4, 9
R5 - 11, 1, 4, 10
R6 - 1, 6, 4, 10
R7 - 7, 10, 9, 6
R8 - 2, 11, 1, 5
R9 - 6, 4, 1, 5

21/12/2019

Today features the world's biggest betting race each year, the G1 Arima Kinen (2500m) at Nakayama in Japan. It's a fascinating race as the public votes for 10 of the 16 runners! I think super filly Almond Eye wins comfortably, as I wrote for Asian Racing Hub the other day (link in comments), but what's interesting is the market behind her. Think Cox Plate winner Lys Gracieux is vulnerable at a solid 2500m and would prefer to stick with proven stayers like Fierement and Kiseki, as well as the three-year-old Saturnalia. Catch the Arima Kinen at 5:25pm AEDT.

21/12/2019

It's the beginning of a massive two days in Asia, with the world's biggest betting race, the Arima Kinen, coming up in Japan tomorrow. I will be posting my selections and thoughts for the Nakayama meeting tomorrow morning. Today though features Hong Kong racing with a 10-race card at Sha Tin. Here are my selections:

R1: 5, 3, 1, 7
R2: 6, 11, 12, 10
R3: 5, 1, 11, 10
R4: 8, 2, 9, 7
R5: 6, 8, 1, 3
R6: 10, 14, 11, 1
R7: 3, 12, 1, 11
R8: 10, 6, 4, 9
R9: 5, 13, 11, 4
R10: 8, 11, 5, 7

20/12/2019

Great to team up with my former colleague Michael Cox to write a piece for his website, Asian Racing Hub. This one is about the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings and the position of Japanese superstar Almond Eye, who ends her year in Sunday’s G1 Arima Kinen at Nakayama.

https://asian-racinghub.com/2019/12/20/almond-eye-not-top-ten-lets-fix-these-rankings/

By Andrew Hawkins Who has been the world’s best racehorse in 2019? When the year’s LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings are announced in London next month, it appears likely t…

18/12/2019

Racing at Happy Valley kicks off in an hour, with nine races on the card from Hong Kong this evening. Videos will return this weekend, focusing on Sha Tin on Saturday and Nakayama from Japan on Sunday. For now, here are tonight's selections.

R1 - 10, 1, 2, 5
R2 - 9, 4, 1, 6
R3 - 6, 8, 9, 1
R4 - 3, 8, 4, 9
R5 - 5, 1, 2, 6
R6 - 7, 8, 6, 10
R7 - 9, 8, 7, 3
R8 - 6, 2, 5, 1
R9 - 11, 12, 3, 4

15/12/2019

Hong Kong racing kicks off at Sha Tin in three hours. No videos today, but here are my selections:

R1 - 4, 6, 13, 7
R2 - 4, 2, 9, 6
R3 - 1, 2, 4, 8
R4 - 3, 1, 13, 10
R5 - 4, 3, 1, 11
R6 - 4, 2, 5, 11
R7 - 2, 4, 10, 8
R8 - 9, 3, 11, 1
R9 - 5, 1, 7, 2
R10 - 3, 1, 13, 9

11/12/2019

The post- hangover continues in Hong Kong tonight with a nine-race card from Happy Valley. Head across to my Twitter account for all of my selections across three tweets. https://twitter.com/AndrewNJHawkins/status/1204648151950360576?s=20

“Hong Kong racing comes up at Happy Valley this evening. The nine-race card kicks off at 6:45pm Hong Kong time. Here are my thoughts on races 1, 2, 3 and 4 https://t.co/ly6KHBiMgc”

08/12/2019

We're just under an hour and a half away from the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races kicking off for 2019. It's a blustery day at Sha Tin, but excitement is building with four top-class races ahead. Here, in one video, is my best bet and best value, along with race-by-race previews for each of the 10 events. The features are races four (Vase, 2400m), five (Sprint, 1200m), seven (Mile, 1600m) and eight (Cup, 2000m). Hopefully a few winners to be found on Hong Kong's biggest raceday! Good luck all.

06/12/2019

Alain De Royer-Dupré has had immense success in a 50-year training career. The legendary French horseman speaks about Americain's 2010 Melbourne Cup win and compares runner Edisa to his previous Hong Kong runners like Pride, Daryakana and Giofra. Thanks to Scott Burton too for assisting when the tripod and microphone failed to work!

04/12/2019

Here are all of my preview videos for tonight's LONGINES International Jockeys' Championship meeting at Happy Valley. Still trying to figure out how to add multiple videos to one post, so in the meantime, this is all nine videos as one. Hopefully a few winners to be found! Good luck.

04/12/2019

Always great to chat to the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Edward Sadler, one of the most insightful characters in international racing. Here, he gives his thoughts about the four races so far, as well as identifying one local worth watching from Wednesday morning's trackwork.

03/12/2019

Tonight in Hong Kong features the first major event of , the LONGINES International Jockeys' Championship, with 12 of the world's leading riders set to go head-to-head at Happy Valley. Here is my best bet, my best value and also my IJC pick for tonight's card. Stay tuned for more race-by-race previews throughout the day.