Baby Brother for Fawkner

There was plenty of Cox Plate talk following Saturday's racing with Sacred Falls and Foreteller staking their claims, but there is one on the sidelines who might be the horse to beat.

Caulfield Cup winner Fawkner showed he will be a force to reckoned with this spring when zooming home for a close second to Dissident in the Group I VRC Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington last week.

Prepared by Robert Hickmott and ridden by Nicholas Hall, the Lloyd Williams owned Fawkner was beaten half a head with connections indicating the Cox Plate will be his primary goal for this campaign.

The seven year-old Reset gelding is among the top fancies for the Cox Plate on October 25 and may go into the race without another run.

A $70,000 purchase from the Mill Park draft at the 2009 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Fawkner is the third Caulfield Cup winner raised at Mill Park joining Southern Speed (2011) and Mummify (2003).

Boasting the consistent record of nine wins and seven placings from 23 starts with prizemoney topping $2.6 million, Fawkner was bred by Steve Bennetts and is a half-brother to stakes-winning stayer Tanby (also purchased and raced by Lloyd Williams) and stakes-placed Viking Star, being one of four winners from four foals to race for the good producer Dane Belltar.

A Group III winner by Danewin, Dane Belltar was a top class filly, placing in no fewer than three Group I Oaks events, so her success at stud should come as no surprise.

Dane Belltar has a two year-old filly by Starcraft, a yearling filly by English Derby winner New Approach (IRE) and has already foaled this spring delivering this colt by ill-fated Street Cry (IRE).