The Melbourne arm of the Hawkes Racing partnership has been going through a quiet spell in recent weeks and it seems set to continue.

Wayne Hawkes is in charge in Melbourne while his father John and brother Michael are based in Sydney where the winners have been plentiful including Saturday's star sprinter Our Boy Malachi.

The Hawkes team did not have a runner at Flemington on Saturday and has just the solitary nomination for this week's meeting at headquarters with much-travelled gelding Agent lining up in a Benchmark 90 Stakes over 1000m.

The New Zealand-bred son of Pins arrived in Melbourne having run fourth on a wet track at Doomben on December 6 at his most recent start.

The seven-year-old began his career with Lloyd Williams' trainer Robert Hickmott and had two starts on the synthetic track at Geelong.

He was then sold and joined Canberra trainer Jules De Smet for six runs and then went on to the Hawkes camp.

While he hasn't raced in Melbourne for the Hawkes stable, Agent is no stranger to the Flemington environment.

"I know he's been here before but he hasn't raced here," Hawkes said.

"He came down here to get fit one preparation and then I sent him back to Sydney.

A lack of suitable races interstate means Agent has made his way back to Melbourne with retirement not that far away.

"He's a hard horse to place but there's some suitable races down here for him and that's why he's here," Hawkes said.

With seven winners for the season in the metropolitan area, Hawkes suggested things will be quiet in the near future with the majority of the stable taken up with young horses.

With a capacity for 32 horses, the stable currently has 25 in work in Melbourne.

"We don't have a lot of older horses and we've got a lot of young ones here that we're educating," Hawkes said.

"We're working 25 at the moment and the stable holds 32.

"There's plenty to do, it's just we're not going to the races."