By Tom Frary
After a latest below-par effort in France, Hawkbill was overlooked by the punters in favour of the fellow Charlie Appleby-trained Frontiersman but it takes special mettle to win an Eclipse and the likeable chestnut proved too good for his stablemate on a card the Maktoum family dominated. The duo had finished second and third in the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom June 2, where Frontiersman was ahead chasing home Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and after Hawkbill had run sixth in the July 2 G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud it was obvious where the money would go this time. Add to that the fact that Appleby categorically stated his preference for Frontiersman beforehand and William Buick deserted him for the first time in 14 starts and the enthusiastic chestnut was firmly the underdog here.
Sent straight to the front by James Doyle, he visibly thrived out in a clear lead as Muntahaa (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) eventually crossed over from his isolation away from the rail. As the business end neared, he had only his barnmate to worry about but when the two in royal blue came together Hawkbill put his head down and fought while Frontiersman dived away from Buick's whip. Surrendering vital ground passing the furlong pole, the market-leader was brought back to the battle but was always coming off second-best as they stayed clear of Algometer.
After upsetting The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the Eclipse last July, Appleby had talked about giving Hawkbill a break to help his maturing process and he was out three times afterwards without success before re-emerging with a fifth in the G1 Prix Ganay over 10 1/2 furlongs at Saint-Cloud May 1. Back up to the 12-furlong trip over which he had been third in the G1 Grosser Preis Von Bayern at Munich in November when making all in the G3 Aston Park S. at Newbury May 20, he was unable to get to the front in the Coronation Cup and paid for a tussle with Highland Reel by losing second to Frontiersman. Another below-par effort in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud had led his trainer to revisit plans for a sojourn, but he had clearly advertised his wellbeing in the interim and was pitched back into action. “You
can't not love him–he's been a great campaigner for me,” his trainer said. “I'm always trying to give him a break, but after two easy days he's climbing over the top of his stable door again. He's dangerous when he's left alone on the lead and is a horse that sweats up, so we'd be worried if he didn't. He's run his race on the plane on the way over to France twice, but we know him now and I feel he has one more big pot in him. With ease in the ground or even in extremes, he excels. Frontiersman was still running around a bit there and I feel he's a good horse. This was no disgrace and he's learning on the game. We'll look towards Ascot and the [July 29 G1] King George [VI and Queen Elizabeth S.] for him. He won't look out of place there.”
Hawkbill's dam is the GIII Robert G. Dick Memorial H. runner-up Trensa, who is herself a daughter of the GI Ballerina S. winner Serape and therefore a half to the GIII Vinery Matchmaker S., GIII My Charmer H. and GIII Honey Fox H. scorer Batique (Storm Cat). The latter is responsible for the GIII Bewitch S., GIII All Along S. and GIII The Very One H. runner-up Tejida (Rahy), while the third dam Mochila was placed in the GI Ruffian H., GI Beldame S. and GI Ladies H. and is a half-sister to the GI Breeders' Cup Mile-winning champion and leading sire Cozzene. Also from the extended family of the GI Ogden Phipps H. heroine Tiz Miz Sue (Tiznow), Trensa has an as-yet unraced 3-year-old filly by Hard Spun named Hard Cloth, a 2-year-old colt by Union Rags named Free Drop Billy, a yearling colt by Curlin and a colt foal by More Than Ready.
Thursday, Newmarket, Britain
PRINCESS OF WALESS ARQANA RACING CLUB S.-G2, £100,000, NEW, 7-13, 3yo/up, 12fT, 2:31.00, gd.
1–HAWKBILL, 128, c, 4, by Kitten's Joy
1st Dam: Trensa (GSP-US, $170,470), by Giant's Causeway
2nd Dam: Serape, by Fappiano
3rd Dam: Mochila, by In Reality
($350,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP). O-Godolphin; B-Helen K Groves Revocable Trust (KY); T-Charlie Appleby; J-James Doyle. £56,710. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Eng at 9.5-11f, G1SW-Eng & G1SP-Ger, 16-8-0-3, $751,053. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”gainesway-consigned-by”][bullet ad=”eqb-cardioclient”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″][bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred-keen-grad”]2–Frontiersman (GB), 128, c, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Ouija Board (GB), by Cape Cross (Ire). O-Godolphin; B-Stanley Estate & Stud Company (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. £21,500.
3–Algometer (GB), 128, c, 4, Archipenko–Albanova (GB), by Alzao. (140,000gns Ylg '14 TATOCT). O/B-Kirsten Rausing (GB); T-David Simcock. £10,760.
Margins: 3/4, 3 3/4, 2. Odds: 3.50, 1.25, 7.00.
Also Ran: Western Hymn (GB), Wings of Desire (GB), Muntahaa (Ire). Scratched: Poet's Word (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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