Hawkes throws boom colt Wild Atlantic into deep end on debut

Wild Atlantic will be attempting to emulate his sire Exceedance by winning the San Domenico Stakes, only he will be striving to do it at his first race start.

Exceedance claimed the sprint at his third run for Team Hawkes in 2019, and if Wild Atlantic can follow in his footsteps, he may be put on the same path towards the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m).

A $320,000 Magic Millions purchase, Wild Atlantic caught the eye of his trainers on type, but it didn’t hurt that he was built in the same mould as his sire.

“He was a lovely colt, and he actually looked a lot like Dad,” Michael Hawkes said.

“He’s done everything right. He’s just taken a bit of time, probably a bit like Dad as well.

“He’s had some nice trials, a good grounding. Yes, he’s in the deep end on Saturday. If anything, he lacks the race craft because he is obviously unraced, where a lot of these have started and they’ve won numerous times.

“But he’s definitely got the ability to be there. Everyone has seen that with his trials, and we have too. It’s more about him having the right run in transit. He’s drawn a good barrier to get that now, and he’s going to have his chance.”

While Wild Atlantic will be giving away race experience, he has been well educated with five trials, winning four of them.

He showed a commanding turn of foot in his latest and has been crunched in early markets from an opening quote of $26 into $7, behind $2.10 favourite Blue Door, Golden Slipper winner Guest House ($5) and Warwoven ($5.50).

Hawkes admits he’s excited to finally get the colt to the races and says the stable wouldn’t be throwing him in a Group race at his first start if they didn’t think he could figure in the finish.

They adopted a similar approach with Nepotism, who started $41 when placed in the 2025 Todman Stakes on debut before winning the Baillieu (1400m) and Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at his next two starts.

“He’s a colt with a lot of raw talent and it’s exciting that he’s stepping out,” Hawkes said.

“First and foremost, you’ve got to know whether they’ve got the ability or not. It’s not just throwing them in the deep end, it’s knowing if they’ve got that ability.

“We did it with Nepotism at his first start, and he arguably should have nearly won. He placed at massive odds then ended up coming out and winning a Group One mile at Randwick.”

Tyler Schiller partners Wild Atlantic from barrier four and will be chasing his first win in the three-year-old feature, while Hawkes Racing is shooting for its fourth in the past 25 years having also claimed the sprint with Nostradamus (2014) and Star Turn (2016) as well as Exceedance.