3 minute read

Brendon Hawtin is looking forward to the upcoming campaign of Simply Optimistic.

Brendon Hawtin is one of the faces behind the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young stable but is an accomplished trainer in his own right. 

Hawtin runs one of the barns at Cranbourne for Busuttin and Young and within that space is room for 10 of his own horses. 

Numbers maybe down, currently just a 'handful', with one, Simply Optimistic engaged in the Neds Filter Form Handicap (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday. 

Simply Optimistic was successful on a raid from New Zealand at Randwick two years ago in Hawtin's name then won races at Geelong and The Valley last spring under Busuttin and Young's care. 

"When I first came over, I had a fair few organised, but then COVID struck, so I put my license on hold," Hawtin said. 

Simply Optimistic only recently returned to Hawtin's care and is coming off finishing third in the Wangoom Handicap at Warrnambool. 

That was the third of a three-run campaign and Saturday's race may lead to Simply Optimistic heading to a weight-for-age contest next month. 

"I was going to go to Sydney and run a couple of weeks ago and then go to the Ramornie at Grafton, but he came back from the paddock and he was a little slower coming back than I thought," Hawtin said. 

"I gave him a bit of quiet time and he's bounced back now and I'm looking forward to Saturday. 

"We'll get Saturday out of the way but in a month's time there's the Bletchingly Stakes which could be a possibility." 

The rain falling in Melbourne on Friday was pleasing for Hawtin. 

"He gets through all conditions but I try to stay away from firm ground," Hawtin said. 

"He's done a suspensory and fractured a pelvis, so I try and stay clear of those rock-hard tracks. 

"I don't want to get too carried away, but for the next three months, he loves the mud and it would be nice if we could pick-up one or two races."