Hastings preferred port of call

Brendon Hawtin is keen on a return trip to Hawke’s Bay this Saturday with Animator.

The Cambridge trainer has the Encosta De Lago gelding in Wednesday’s Clothier Family 1400 at Matamata, but his preference is to wait for the weekend.

“I’ve nominated him for Hastings and hope he gets in,” Hawtin said. “He really likes it down there.”

Animator is a two-time winner on the course and was successful there at his last start in July.

“We gave him two weeks out after that and he’s done well,” Hawtin said. “We don’t do a lot of fast work with him and do a fait bit of jumping with him, he loves that caper.”