Waikato trainer Keith Hawtin has set himself two more targets before he heads to Dubai in the new season.
Hawtin hopes to retain his title as leading trainer and also top the $1 million mark in stakes for the first time.
Hawtin, who trains in partnership with Graeme Rogerson, shares the lead in the premiership with the Otago combination of Brian and Shane Anderton. One win further back is Paul O'Sullivan.
Hawtin and the Andertons both had one win each on Saturday to take their tally for the season to 51. O'Sullivan is on 50 and the Colin Jillings-Richard Yuill partnership is still in contention on 49.
Hawtin has a chance to put a break on his rivals at the Whangarei meeting at Ruakaka on Wednesday.
The stable has 15 acceptors at Ruakaka and a runner in every race. The entries include the form runners Skip's Fancy, Pardon, Beech Bonanza, Titus, Havard Honor, Kitaro King and Riverdancer.
Ballet Queen, a Gold Brose filly who is scheduled to make her debut at Ruakaka, has been a trials winner but has the outside draw in a capacity field.
"We usually have a good run up there [Ruakaka] and we probably have seven or eight realistic chances," Hawtin said.
Jillings has two acceptors at Ruakaka but O'Sullivan will not be represented.
Hawtin also ranks as the leading trainer this season in terms of stake earnings with the open handicap win by St Petrus at Otaki on Saturday taking the stable's New Zealand earnings to $961,000.
"It would be nice to get to a million," Hawtin said.
The McKee stable, which has earned $931,000, is the only other with earnings above $900,000.
Hawtin has trained in partnership with Rogerson for nine years and their previous best season on stake earnings was in 1998, with $839,850. They recorded $822,489 in stakes when topping the premiership with 61 wins last year.
Roger James was the leading stake earner last term, with $926,255 and the last trainers to top $1 million in New Zealand were Dave and Paul O'Sullivan, in the 1997-98 season.
Hawtin has also had one of his best seasons in terms of feature wins, with six group or listed stakes.
The only trainers with a higher tally of stake race wins are James (eight) and the Andertons (seven).
He is also confident that Stephen Autridge, who will step in as Rogerson's New Zealand partner in the new season, will inherit a team with huge potential.
"We should have a big year next year and Stephen will be stepping in at a nice time," Hawtin said.
"We have 45-50 rising two-year-olds and 50 rising three-year-olds, about 40 of whom are unraced."
Hawtin, who has been with Rogerson for 19 years, will take over Rogerson's Dubai operation in September.
- NZPA
Racing: Hawtin eye on premiership before Dubai
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