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Wayne Hawkes says leading Group 1 Australian Guineas fancy Ole Kirk will need a 12-out-of-10 ride from jockey Kerrin McEvoy if he is to claim a third Group 1 victory for his three-year-old season.
Already the dominant three-year-old of the spring with Group 1 victories in the Golden Rose at Rosehill and the Caulfield Guineas, Ole Kirk could be crowned champion of his age if he wins Saturday's Group 1 feature over 1600m at Flemington.
But Ole Kirk, who shares the third line of TAB betting with Aysar at $7.50 behind Tagaloa ($3.80) and Zou Dancer ($5.50), needs to overcome barrier 15 if he is to give Hawkes, his father John and brother Michael, their first Australian Guineas victory.
"Kerrin won't have any instructions, it will be good luck," Hawkes said.
"Anyone that draws 15 wants to be three deep in about eighth spot, with cover, but at the end of the day we've been dealt these cards.
"I guarantee there'll be six other jockeys drawn wide that will want to be in the same position."
Spelled after winning the Caulfield Guineas, Ole Kirk finished third first-up on February 6 before running eighth behind Probabeel in the Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield last Saturday.
Hawkes said barrier one, the gate you wish for in major races, was against the star three-year-old at Caulfield.
"Last week barrier one was where you wanted to be pre-race and at the moment barrier 15 doesn't look the right place, but come 4 o'clock tomorrow, maybe it will be the right place," Hawkes said.
"But he came through the run well and that's why we accepted with him. It's never easy backing up week-to-week, you need to be spot on, and there's no reason not to run him."
