Team Hawkes monitor wet tracks before deciding on La Amistad and Messene’s fate

Sydney's big wet has caused Team Hawkes plenty of headaches, with the stable loathe to kick-start the spring campaigns of their carnival stars on a bog, including La Amistad in Thursday's $100,000 Listed Rowley Mile.

La Amistad, the three-quarter sister to three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva, was expected to begin her own march towards the first Tuesday in November in the Hawkesbury feature.

But Michael Hawkes said there was no way La Amistad would run on a heavy track, especially first-up, and would make a call later on Thursday morning.

A similar decision will be made with Messene, who resumes as favourite in Saturday's Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.

Both horses, Hawkes said, could be saved a week and resume in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

As of late on Wednesday, Hawkesbury was rated a ‘heavy eight' - but with more showers expected overnight - while Randwick was also listed in the heavy range.

Hawkes said he wanted some of his spring contenders given an easy time first-up, not "gut-busters" on rain-affected tracks, which could "wreck their preparations".

"If it's heavy at Hawkesbury, she won't run," Hawkes said of La Amistad, the powerhouse mare who is rated $17 for the Cup with TAB Fixed Odds.

"That goes for Saturday as well. Messene doesn't like wet tracks either.

"Next weekend there aren't a lot of options, and that means you have to wait another week for a race like the Tramway, which means you're another two weeks down the track. That's why some of our horses might have to go to Melbourne, and a race like the Memsie becomes an option for them."

La Amistad, who races in the famous Makybe Diva colours, made it three wins on the trot last preparation when she took out the Listed McKell Cup with ease.

Hawkes said of the hype surrounding his mare: "Everyone is saying she's a Cups horse, but she's still got to get there yet. She's only won an off-season winter (stakes) race, albeit by four lengths, and everyone thinks she's a superstar. She can only beat what she's been up against, but she's still got a long way to go."

Story: Christian Nicolussi Daily Telegraph