"These things happen in racing – you just have to move on," John Hawkes said about Not Listenin'tome's autumn being cut short. "We will look after him and he will be back in the spring. We want to look after the horse because if you do, then they look after you."

The stable reported the problem to Racing NSW stewards on Sunday morning, noting the three-year-old had been isolated from the remainder of the stable, which has been firing.

Not Listenin'tome had been at the top of betting for the T.J. Smith and Doncaster Mile, to be run on the first day of The Championships at Randwick on April 12.

But Team Hawkes still have the Doncaster favourite after Messene demolished the field in the Ajax Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday. The stable will also have Ninth Legion in the famous mile.

"Ninth Legion is in the race after winning the Villiers [Stakes], so he can go through the George Ryder Stakes to protect his handicap," Hawkes said.

"He will run well but at weight-for-age is not well-suited. Messene is there as well now, so we have a couple of really good chances going into the Doncaster. There is still a few weeks to go, but [Messene] has done the job so far."

The Ajax win gave Messene an exemption from the ballot and he is not open to a penalty, which means he will carry the limit weight of 50 kilograms in the Doncaster. There is a possibility It's A Dundeel could head to the Doncaster, meaning weights would not have to be raised after he finished third in the Ranvet Stakes on Saturday.

John Hawkes, in partnership with sons Michael and Wayne, has enjoyed a wonderful run of success and the small, but elite, team had one of their best days at Rosehill on Saturday, as Entirely Platinum took the Sky High Stakes, Traitor the Phar Lap Stakes and Messene the Ajax Stakes. That trio of wins came only four days after stablemate Mecir won Newcastle's Newmarket Handicap.

"It has been hard work to get here but when I went out with the boys in 2007, this is what I wanted to do," Hawkes said. "We got hit by EI straight away and that set us back for a couple of years, but we have a good group of horses at the moment that are only going to get better. It is about teamwork, and we have a very good team."

Messene is an example of how the Hawkes stable plans and executes with precision. The son of Lonhro has won his past seven races, but has been to stakes company only in his past two outings.

The first was a win in the National Sprint in Canberra, where he worked at both ends of the race, and then the exhibition at Rosehill on Saturday that was as dominant as you are likely to see.

"It takes a good horse to win seven in a row at any level," Hawkes said. ''We have looked after him because we want horses in the future, it is not just about now. He has been a good horse for a long time but we took our time."

James McDonald has become a key part of Team Hawkes and he carried out instructions perfectly on Messene.

"I like to work with jockeys because they get to know what you are on about and learn how we do things," Hawkes said. "Having that team is so important to success."

Plans remain up in the air for Entirely Platinum and Traitor, but Hawkes will lean towards a patient approach.

"It was great for the family that Traitor won, but he has been up a long time and might go for a spell,'' Hawkes said. ''Entirely Platinum might have one more, but he is still six months away.''

Mossfun, which was runner-up to Earthquake in the Reisling Stakes, will continue towards the Golden Slipper.

"That's her grand final when she will be screwed down." Hawkes said.

The stable will have a quieter time this week, with Lady Sharapova to run in the Magic Night Stakes. The Fastnet Rock filly was third at stakes level at her only start in Melbourne and she holds a nomination for the Sires' Produce Stakes at Randwick on April 12.

"She is a nice filly and will run on Saturday,'' Hawkes said. ''I don't think the Slipper is an option at the moment for her but we will wait and see what she does on the weekend.''