Husk lands prize at Sandown

Wayne Hawkes has heaped praise on jockey Jordan Childs for his handling of Husk in her maiden victory at Sandown.

Husk was having her first run of the campaign in the Sportsbet Fast Form Handicap (1000m) on Wednesday, but more importantly her first start in Melbourne.

The Hawkes Racing-trained two-year-old had been prepared in Sydney for Wednesday’s engagement and only arrived in Melbourne last Friday.

Husk ($4 betting) raced to a 1-¼ length victory over Cora Lyn ($9.50) with Brighella ($7.50) a further 1-½ lengths away in third place.

“The one thing about Jordan Childs, he’s a very good two-year-old rider, as he gets them to jump and half the two-year-old races are won out of the barriers,” Hawkes said.

“She has done everything right and it couldn’t have worked out any better.

“She had one either side of her, which doesn’t always work in your favour, but she’s only been here since Friday.

“Most of our horses are backwards and forwards between Melbourne and Sydney and have stacks of experience down here, but she hasn’t.

“I think having both horses around her helped her around the corner and even when Jordan asked her to quicken, she rolled in and rolled out, so to win today she’s done a very good job.”

Hawkes said his father and brother, John and Michael, were confident that Husk would perform well after trialling up nicely in Sydney.

Husk had previously only the one start in Sydney back in December, on heavy ground, which Hawkes said the filly did not appreciate.

“Our only hesitation was coming to Melbourne for the first time,” Hawkes said.

“She’s been here only since Friday and hasn’t left an oat, but they told me that she would run well.

“John and Michael pre-trained her pretty well for me, so well done to them.”