Kyneton trainer Neil Dyer has country Cup aspirations for Hawks Bay but first he will attempt to complete a winning hat-trick with the talented four-year-old at Flemington on Saturday.The Black Hawk gelding has won six of his 20 starts and finished second in another five for $288,270 in prizemoney and really impresses top jockey Craig Newitt who has had two rides on him for two wins.Newitt won the Wangaratta Cup (2010m) on Hawks Bay on April 11 and followed that up with a victory over 2000m at F

Kyneton trainer Neil Dyer has country Cup aspirations for Hawks Bay but first he will attempt to complete a winning hat-trick with the talented four-year-old at Flemington on Saturday.

The Black Hawk gelding has won six of his 20 starts and finished second in another five for $288,270 in prizemoney and really impresses top jockey Craig Newitt who has had two rides on him for two wins.

Newitt won the Wangaratta Cup (2010m) on Hawks Bay on April 11 and followed that up with a victory over 2000m at Flemington om April 25, leading all the way on both occasions.

Last start he defeated Come On Cugat and Thursday's Listed Warrnambool Cup winner Hissing Sid.

"He's a beauty," Newitt said.

"I've only sat on him twice and he keeps on improving.

"I think he's a really nice staying horse in the making. He's only four. He's got a massive stride on him and he bowls along at a high cruising speed and he can quicken really good."

Last year Hawks Bay ran second to Estee in the Listed Adelaide Guineas (1600m) and the following preparation was part of Dyer's team which campaigned in Darwin.

He won the Darwin Guineas (1600m) and the Northern Territory Derby (2000m) before finishing runner-up to Activation in the Darwin Cup (2000m) before being spelled.

Hawks Bay has had eight runs this preparation and has won three of his last four outings, scoring over 2000m at Morphettville four starts back on March 6.

He then finished seventh to Growl in the Albury Cup (2000m) on March 26 before his Wangaratta Cup and Flemington wins.

Dyer won three races with a three-horse team he sent to the recent Alice Springs carnival.

Test The Scene won twice and Precieux once.

Palmyra Boy had three starts for a third in the Chief Minister's Cup (1900m) before finishing sixth to Granzig in Monday's Alice Springs Cup (2000m).

Dyer said Palmyra Boy was on his way to Darwin for the Cup in early August, a race he ran fourth in last year, but Hawks Bay would not be going this time.

"He's only four and he has a big future so we're not going to knock him around too much," Dyer said.

"He's gone on and we're very happy with him."

Dyer said races such as the Kyneton Cup and the Bendigo Cup were part of his spring plans for the gelding.

"What we do with him between now and then I'm not sure at this stage," he added.

Hawks Bay is $5.50 favourite with TAB Sportsbet ahead of last-start Sandown winner Interlocking at $7.50, Zoomin and Port Vell at $8, Oak Heart and Zevada at $9 with Ishant, Currency Cugat and Texan Warney at $10.