John Hawkes: Australian Horse Trainer

John Hawkes is a former Adelaide jockey who continued his passion for horses as a full-time trainer since 1971. Prior to 1971, Hawkes was a part time trainer in an era where dual licensing was allowed on the Australian racing circuit. His career as a full time trainer got a jumpstart in the 1972 VRC Oaks scoring his first Group 1 win with Toltrice. Other notable accomplishments during the decade were the 1972 SAJC South Australian Oaks won by Little Papoose, and a second Oaks in 1978 with Runaway Bridge. English Wonder brought Hawkes the SAJC South Australian Derby in 1982. Through the 1980s, Hawkes finished second in the SA trainers' premiership on most occasions, after which he moved to Melbourne in 1989.

His move to Melbourne from Sydney launched the beginning of a long partnership with the 'chicken kings' Bob and Jack Ingham, a lucky venture that brought Hawkes nine premierships. These included four BMW's the two AJC Australian Derbys, two Australian Cups, and the Cox Plate, and Caulfield Cup. During his partnership with the Inghams, Hawkes managed the stables in Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne. His association with the Inghams lasted until the end of 2007, becoming the most successful owner-trainer combination, after which Hawkes decided to go it alone.

John Hawkes' statistics as a thoroughbred racehorse trainer is what makes him one of the most renowned trainers today, admired and honored by many in the Australian racing fraternity. 96 Group 1 wins is no mean task with over 540 stakes wins and a record number of 334 victories in a single season (2001-2002). Among his major triumphs are 2 Golden Slippers as well. By earning $11.2 million during the 1998-99, Hawkes re-wrote the record books. In the 1999-2000 season he set another Australian record, bringing home 315 ½ winners.

Among Hawkes' most successful champion horses under his command were Octagonal and Lonhro. At the Ingham stable, Octagonal won the 1995 Cox Plate and was the 2-year-old Australian Champion as well. Success followed in the 1996 AJC Australian Derby and the BMW, and the 1997 Australian Cup and BMC. The never say die attitude of Octagonal resulted in 13 wins from just 27 starts. Lonhro, a progeny of Octagonal, went on to win 24 races from 32 starts and was an Australian Horse of the Year. One of the cups to elude John Hawkes for a long time was the Caulfield Cup, which took 36 years. In the 2005 edition Railings brought Hawkes his first Caulfield Cup, beating Eye Popper by half a head.

Hawkes began his new training operation along with his sons Wayne and Michael in November 2007, after parting ways with the Inghams. Mentality was his first lucky Group 1 winner in the George Main Stakes at Randwick in 2008. Hawkes' training records brought him the recognition he deserved with an induction into the Australian Hall of Fame in 2004. Who knows, Hawkes and his family partnership may be on the way to rewriting the record books once again