Thoroughbred horse training partnerships are becoming prevalent in Australian racing — more particularly those involving families.

Training partnerships were allowed in New Zealand well before Australia, but recently we have seen successful family partnerships involving: Cindy and Colin Alderson; James and Bart Cummings; Lee and Shannon Hope; Barbara and Paul Joseph; Troy and Leon Corstens; Terry and Katrina Sullivan; John, Wayne and Michael Hawkes (known as Team Hawkes); and more recently, Peter and Paul Snowden.

Of course both John Hawkes and Peter Snowden served their “apprenticeship” at the helm of the massive Woodlands, and later Darley training empires, before going it alone with their family members.

Clearly all the family partnerships, mentioned above, have enjoyed success to varying degrees.

Given this growing trend, I thought I might examine the transition of John Hawkes, who went from a high pressure job training some of the best horseflesh available — due in no small way to the significant financial backing of the Ingham Brothers —to relying on private clients with limited capital, under the Team Hawkes banner.

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