The Hall Of Fame trainer gets a deserved recognition via the 2024 John Hawkes Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville on Saturday?

2024 JOHN HAWKES STAKES - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

The John Hawkes Stakes is a Group 3 sprint race conducted by the South Australian Jockey Club at Morphettville as a feature of the May racing carnival.

The McKay Stakes was introduced in 1974 as a quality handicap lead-up to the Group One Goodwood Handicap.

The McKay Stakes, was named in honour of former SAJC committee member and prominent owner DC McKay, has been run every year at Morphettville with two exceptions when it was held at Victoria Park in 1980 (1450m) and 2002 (1000m).

It was renamed after the Hall Of Fame trainer John Hawkes from 2024.

The distance of the John Hawkes Stakes was originally 1200m from 1974-1984. Since 1985 it has been run at 1100m.

The John Hawkes Stakes has carried a variety of sponsor names over the years. It has been a Group 3 race since 1980.

The 2024 John Hawkes Stakes is run over 1100m at Morphettville for prizemoney of $150,000.

The John Hawkes Stakes-Goodwood Handicap double has been won by the same horse in the same year six times by Puncheon (1976), Comaida Boy (1979), Lord Galaxy (1986), Boardwalk Angel (1989), Despatch (2019) and Savatoxl (2021).

Euclase won the DC McKay Stakes and now Tobin Bronze Stakes double as a 3YO in 1991 and the Goodwood Handicap in 1992. Other DC McKay Stakes winners to win the Goodwood in different years have been Beau George, Super Elegant and Bomber Bill.

Jungle Edge won easily in 2020 but lost the race when returning a positive sample.

Notable winners of the John Hawkes Stakes include Miss Lockleys, Puncheon, Ducatoon, Penny Edition, Lord Galaxy, Beau George, Boardwalk Angel, Euclase, Harkaway, Clang, Toledo, Sudurka, Libidinious, Super Elegant, Bomber Bill, Here De Angels, Idalou, I Am Invincible, Catapulted, Essay Raider, Thermal Current, Despatch, Behemoth as well as dual winners Comaida Boy and Savatoxl.  

The 2023 John Hawkes Stakes was won by Savatoxl from Larimer Street and General Beau.