Team Hawkes is counting on a tongue tie helping Love Conquers All return to his best form in the Group One Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night.The brilliant Mossman four-year-old won six of his first nine starts including a victory over boom sprinter and likely Manikato favourite Hay List in the June Stakes (1100m) at Randwick three starts back on June 12.However last start he dropped out sharply to finish tailed off last to Doubtful Jack in the Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemi

Team Hawkes is counting on a tongue tie helping Love Conquers All return to his best form in the Group One Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night.

The brilliant Mossman four-year-old won six of his first nine starts including a victory over boom sprinter and likely Manikato favourite Hay List in the June Stakes (1100m) at Randwick three starts back on June 12.

However last start he dropped out sharply to finish tailed off last to Doubtful Jack in the Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington last Saturday week.

Veterinary stewards found Love Conquers All to have atrial fibrillation.

But Wayne Hawkes believes the horse got his tongue back and choked down and that it wasn't an irregular heart beat that was the problem.

"We had his heart checked out and he had a perfect heart score," Hawkes told radio station Sport 927.

"He hasn't missed a thing, he pulled up fantastic. On the Monday after the race the vet said you could run him next Saturday he's that perfect.

"It's the only real blemish in his career albeit it was a big one and you certainly don't want to be going in with a blemish like that."

Hawkes said that while entires can resent the tongue tie, Love Conquers All did not.

"We put it on him two days after the race and he's had it on every day since," he said.

"The tongue tie might fix it all. If he bounces back to super form we know it does and if he doesn't then who knows what's wrong."

Hawkes doesn't see the Moonee Valley track as a concern for Love Conquers All, saying the horse is adaptable and despite not having been there before the stable didn't see the need to take him there for a workout beforehand.

"I can't have the horse any better. He's really good," he said.

"If he bounces back to good form he's going to be hard to beat and if he's not you know where he's going to finish."

Plans beyond Friday night are unclear for the Nick Moraitis-owned galloper but even if he does win Hawkes said he may be spelled with the big autumn sprints in mind.

On Tuesday there were no late entries for the Manikato which attracted 12 nominations including dual Group One winner All Silent, to be ridden by Blake Shinn, 2009 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Reward For Effort and Bank Robber who will be having his first start for the Mark Kavanagh stable.

Group One placegetters Eagle Falls, Latin News and Stanzout are also entered as well as last-start McEwen Stakes winner Hay List, Testa Rossa Stakes winner Avenue and recent Moonee Valley 1200m winner Perturbo.