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By Ray Hickson

It’s safe to say we’ll know more about the future of lightly raced sprinter Glenall after he makes his debut for the Hawkes stable at Rosehill on Saturday.

Glenall is a veteran of just five starts but showed plenty of talent with a stakes placing and a fourth in the Group 1 Galaxy back in the autumn.

The four-year-old is set to resume in the Boxing Day at Royal Randwick Sprint (1100m) and co-trainer Michael Hawkes said there’s no point in getting carried away before his first-up run.

“Obviously he has the form there but he’s only had the one win,’’ Hawkes said.

“We’ve just taken him back to basics, it’s a nice starting point. It’s not where you start it’s where you finish - with a bit of luck.’’

Glenall was trained by Les Bridge when he made his debut with a dominant Canterbury win in August last year.

He was winless during his only other preparation but finished second behind Samantha in the Listed Fireball at Randwick prior to his eye-catching fourth in the Galaxy behind Russian Revolution and Redzel.

Glenall's second trial this prep at Hawkesbury on Monday

The entire has had two barrier trials for the new stable, the latest a close second at Hawkesbury on Monday, and Hawkes said he gets his chance to perform first-up.

“He’s drawn well, he’s a nice horse and he trialled okay and we’re happy with how he is going,’’ he said.

Glenall opened the $4 favourite with TAB Fixed Odds.

Last start winner Firsthand steps up in class and distance but drops to 53kg in the November Handicap (1400m) and Hawkes said he won’t be out of place in a tougher event.

Firsthand, a $3.60 chance with TAB, climbed off the canvas to beat To Excess at Randwick on October 28, with Punters Intel data showing he ran 12.56, fastest for the last 200m, on soft ground.

“He’s not well off at the weights by any means but he’s a lightweight chance,’’ Hawkes said.

“He’s a nice horse on the improve, he’s taken a bit of time but has done everything right.

“He tries, he’s a racehorse, he’s a lot more relaxed this time and that’s why we’ve stepped him out to 1400m. You can’t do anything more than win and he’s done that.’’

A distance increase is also in the immediate future of four-year-old Cordero when he contests the Boohoo.com Handicap (2000m) with blinkers on for the first time.

Despite racing out of his grade, Hawkes said Cordero showed in his last start sixth behind Just Dreaming last Saturday he’s finding his races a bit short.

“His run first-up was okay, second-up probably a little bit flat,’’ he said.

“He’s probably looking for a bit of ground now and that’s why we’ve put him out over the 2000m. I can’t fault the horse and hopefully now he’s getting over a bit of ground we might see a bit better form.’’

Three-year-old Echo Jet faces a steep class rise in the ATC Owners Benefit Card Handicap (1200m) but Hawkes said he’s more than earned it.

The colt was a dominant maiden winner at Newcastle on November 4 at his second race start.

“It was a good win the other day, he won like a nice horse and he deserves a crack at a race like this with a lot of horses first-up,’’ he said.

All the fields, form and replays for Rosehill Gardens on Saturday