Hawkbill

Last updated
Hawkbill
Owner Godolphin.svg
Racing silks of Godolphin
Sire Kitten's Joy
Grandsire El Prado
DamTrensa
Damsire Giant's Causeway
SexStallion
Foaled6 March 2013 [1]
CountryUnited States
Colour Chestnut
BreederHelen K Groves Revokable Trust
Owner Godolphin
Trainer Charlie Appleby
Record24: 10-2-6
Earnings£3,544,995
Major wins
Newmarket Stakes (2016)
Tercentenary Stakes (2016)
Eclipse Stakes (2016)
Aston Park Stakes (2017)
Princess of Wales's Stakes (2017)
Dubai City of Gold (2018)
Dubai Sheema Classic (2018)

Hawkbill (foaled 6 March 2013) is an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. During his racing career he competed in England, Ireland, France, Germany, Canada and Dubai. In 2015 he was beaten on his first two appearances but then recorded three consecutive wins in minor races. As a three-year-old in 2016 he made rapid progress, taking his winning run to six with victories in the Newmarket Stakes, Tercentenary Stakes and Eclipse Stakes. As a four-year-old he won the Aston Park Stakes and Princess of Wales's Stakes and was placed in the Coronation Cup, Grosser Preis von Berlin and Northern Dancer Turf Stakes. He began his fourth season by winning the Dubai City of Gold and followed up by recording his most valuable success when he took the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Contents

Background

Hawkbill is a chestnut colt with a broad white blaze and long white socks on his hind legs bred in Kentucky by the Helen K Groves Revokable Trust. As a yearling in September 2014 Hawkbill was offered for sale at Keeneland and bought for $350,000 by the John Ferguson on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin organisation. [2] The colt was sent to race in Europe and entered training with Charlie Appleby at Godolphin's British base in Newmarket.

He was sired by Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's stallion Kitten's Joy the U.S. Champion Male Turf Horse of 2004. His other offspring include Stephanie's Kitten, Bobby's Kitten and Big Blue Kitten. [3] [4] Hawkbilll's dam Trensa won three races from nineteen starts in the United States between 2006 and 2010. [5] Her grand-dam Mochila was a half-sister to Cozzene. [6]

Racing career

2015: two-year-old season

Hawkbill began his racing career by finishing ninth of ten in a five furlong maiden race at Newbury Racecourse on 17 April. He was of the course for two months before returning in a similar event over seven furlongs at Kempton Park Racecourse in which he finished third behind They Seek Him Here after leading for most of the way. In a maiden on the Polytrack surface at Lingfield Park Racecourse in July he was partnered for the first time by William Buick, who became his regular jockey. Starting the 11/10 favourite he took the lead a furlong out and won by a neck from Lazzam to record his first victory. [7] Hawkbill's two remaining starts of 2015 were on the Polytrack course at Kempton. On 18 August he carried top weight of 133 pounds in a nursery handicap and won by three and a quarter lengths after leading for most of the way and drawing clear in the straight. He was then moved up in class and distance for a race over one mile on 9 September. After leading from the start and going three lengths clear early in the straight he was hard-pressed in the final strides before prevailing by a head from the Richard Hannon Jr.-trained Steel of Madrid. [8]

At the end of the season Hawkbill was sent to spend the winter at Godolphin's base in Dubai. [9]

2016: three-year-old season

On his first appearance of 2016, Hawkbill started a 14/1 outsider in an eight-runner field for the Listed Newmarket Stakes over ten furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse in which his opponents included the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère runner-up Cymric. After tracking the leaders he went to the front approaching the final furlong and won by one and a quarter lengths from Abdon with the favourite Sky Kingdom in third. [10] The colt was stepped up in class again at Royal Ascot when he was one of nine colts to contest the Group Three Tercentenary Stakes on 16 June. Abdon and the Cocked Hat Stakes runner-up Prize Money started 4/1 joint favourites ahead of the unbeaten Long Island Sound, with Hakwbill next in the betting on 11/2 alongside Blue de Vega (third in the Irish 2000 Guineas). After racing in third place behind the outsider Race Day, Hawkbill took the lead approaching the final furlong and stayed on to win by one and a quarter lengths from Prize Money, with a gap of almost three lengths back to Long Island Sound in third. [11] After the race Appleby commented "We didn’t know how good he was until he went to Newmarket and since then he's thrived. It was a great ride from William and a great win for the team". [9]

On 2 July Hawkbill was moved up in class and was matched against older horses for the first time in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park Racecourse. The odds-on favourite was the Irish colt The Gurkha who had won the Poule d'Essai des Poulains before being narrowly beaten in the St James's Palace Stakes. Hawkbill was next in the betting alongside My Dream Boat (Prince of Wales's Stakes) and Time Test (Joel Stakes). The other three runners were Western Hymn (Brigadier Gerard Stakes), Bravery (fourth in the Irish 2000 Guineas) and Time Test's pacemaker Countermeasure. Hawkbill tracked the leader Countermeasure before taking the lead two furlongs out but was soon challenged and headed by The Gurkha. The two colts engaged in a prolonged struggle in the closing stages before Hawkbill gained the advantage in the final strides and won by half a length. Time Test took third ahead of Countermeasure. [12] Buick commented "Hawkbill is a very good horse. He goes on the ground very well and the future is very bright for him". [3] John Ferguson added "He's a horse that has improved and the sky is the limit for him. I think it's going to be a really enjoyable time now thinking where to go. There's no hurry and the horse has a great future in front of him." [13]

Hawkbill bypassed the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and reappeared in the International Stakes at York Racecourse on 17 August. Starting the 6/1 second favourite in a strong field he tracked the leaders but weakened in the last quarter mile and finished eighth of the twelve runners behind Postponed. In the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown Racecourse on 16 September he started a 16/1 outsider and finished ninth, twelve lengths behind the winner Almanzor. He ended his season with a trip to Germany, where he finished third behind the four-year-olds Guignol and Racing History in the Grosser Preis von Bayern over 2400 metres at Munich on 1 November.

2017: four-year-old season

Hawkbill began his third campaign on 1 May in the Prix Ganay, run that year at Saint-Cloud Racecourse. He briefly took the lead in the straight but was outsprinted in the closing stages and finished fifth of the seven runners behind Cloth of Stars. Nineteen days later the colt was dropped in class for the Group 3 Aston Park Stakes over one and a half miles on soft ground at Newbury Racecourse and started 3/1 favourite against five opponents. Buick sent him into the lead from the start and he was never seriously challenged, winning by two lengths from My Dream Boat. [14] He then finished third to Highland Reel and Frontiersman in the Coronation Cup before running sixth behind Zarak in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. In the Princess of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket 13 July he started at odds of 7/1 against five opponents including Wings of Desire, Frontiersman, Algometer (Cocked Hat Stakes) and Western Hymn. He led from the start and won by three quarters of a length from Frontiersman. [15] In his two remaining starts of 2017 Hawkbill finished runner-up to Dschingis Secret in the Grosser Preis von Berlin and was then sent to Canada where he was beaten a head by Johnny Bear in the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes.

2018: five-year-old season

Hawkbill was sent Dubai in early 2018 and began his campaign in the Group 2 Dubai City of Gold over 2400 metres on 10 March and started the 2/1 favourite against twelve opponents. Ridden by Buick he took the lead 300 metres from the finish and won by a head from his stablemate Frontiersman. [16] Three weeks later over the same course and distance the horse contested the Group 1 Sheema Classic in which he faced nine opponents including Rey de Oro (Japanese Derby), Cloth of Stars, Poet's Word, Idaho and Satono Crown. The start was delayed when Hawkbill contrived to get his leg over the top of the starting stalls and had to be reloaded. Sent into the lead from the start by Buick, Hawkbill opened up a clear advantage approaching the straight and won "comfortably" by three lengths from Poet's Word. [17] After the race Buick said "Physically he did well over the winter and we’ve always thought a lot of him. He relaxed well in front and was in a lovely rhythm. It was going to take a good one to get past him". [18]

On his return to Europe Hawkbill ran poorly when finishing a distant fifth behind Cracksman in the Coronation Cup on 1 June but produced a slightly better effort at Royal Ascot later that month when he ran third to Poet's Word and Cracksman in the Prince of Wales's Stakes. In July the horse returned to Sandown as he attempted to repeat his 2016 success in the Eclipse Stakes. He led for most of the way but was overtaken approaching the final furlong and came home fourth behind Roaring Lion, Saxon Warrior and Cliffs of Moher, four lengths behind the winner. After a break of over two months Hawkbill was sent to Canada for a second time but ran poorly when unplaced behind Johnny Bear in the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes on 15 September.

Hawkbill's retirement from racing was announced on 9 October. Charlie Appleby commented "He was a wonderful racehorse who will be remembered for bringing Moulton Paddocks to the international stage. He was an ambassador for Godolphin who gave everybody connected with him immense pleasure. He was hugely popular in the yard. Now he is set to enjoy a well-deserved retirement". [19]

Stud career

Hawkbill commenced stallion duties in 2020 for Godolphin at their Darley Stud in Japan for a fee of 1 million yen. [20]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Hawkbill (USA), chestnut horse, 2013 [1]
Sire
Kitten's Joy (USA)
2001
El Prado (IRE)
1989
Sadler's Wells Northern Dancer
Fairy Bridge
Lady Capulet Sir Ivor
Cap and Bells
Kitten's First (USA)
1991
Lear Fan Roberto
Wac
That's My Hon L'Enjoleur
One Lane
Dam
Trensa (USA)
2004
Giant's Causeway (USA)
1997
Storm Cat Storm Bird
Terlingua
Mariah's Storm Rahy
Immense
Serape (USA)
1988
Fappiano Mr. Prospector
Killaloe
Mochila In Reality
Ride the Trails (Family: 4-m) [6]

Related Research Articles

Mutafaweq is a Thoroughbred racehorse who raced successfully in England, Germany, and Canada.

Outstrip is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He was one of the leading two-year-old in Britain in 2013 when he won the Champagne Stakes and was placed in both the Vintage Stakes and the Dewhurst Stakes. In November he was sent to the United States where he won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

Main Sequence (horse) American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Main Sequence is a Kentucky-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. In his first three seasons he raced in Europe winning his first four races including the Lingfield Derby Trial before losing his unbeaten record when finishing second in the 2012 Epsom Derby. After failing to win in 2013 he was gelded and sent to race in the United States. In 2014 he recorded Grade I victories in his first four American starts, winning the United Nations Stakes, Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap, Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes and Breeders' Cup Turf. He extended his winning run in his first start of 2015 but was retired from racing after suffering a serious tendon injury in his third race of the season.

Golden Horn (horse) British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Golden Horn is a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who won The Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 2015. In a racing career which lasted 367 days from October 2014 until October 2015 he won seven of his nine races and was never beaten by a male horse. He was bred in England by his owner Anthony Oppenheimer and was trained throughout his racing career by John Gosden.

Jack Hobbs (horse) British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Jack Hobbs is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. After winning his only race as a juvenile, he established himself as a potentially top-class colt with a twelve length win in a race at Sandown on his three-year-old debut. He finished second to his stable companion Golden Horn in both the Dante Stakes and The Derby before winning the Irish Derby by five lengths. He ran twice more in 2015, winning the September Stakes before being beaten when favourite for the Champion Stakes. His 2016 season was badly disrupted by injury and he ran only twice, failing to complete his first start and being beaten on his eventual reappearance. However, he rebounded in 2017 by winning the Sheema Classic at Meydan Racecourse on Dubai World Cup Night.

Postponed Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Postponed is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He won one minor race as a two-year-old before establishing himself as a useful middle-distance performer in the following year with wins in the Glasgow Stakes and the Great Voltigeur Stakes. In July 2015, he recorded his biggest victory in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot Racecourse and followed up with a success in the Prix Foy. After a change of trainer he returned in 2016 to win the Dubai City of Gold, Dubai Sheema Classic, Coronation Cup and International Stakes. He was retired from racing in May 2017 having won 9 of his 20 races and earned nearly £5,000,000 in win and place prize money.

Highland Reel Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Highland Reel is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. In a career running from June 2014 to December 2017 he raced in Ireland, Britain, France, the United States, Australia, Hong Kong and Dubai, and recorded seven victories at Group 1 or Grade 1 level in the Secretariat Stakes, Hong Kong Vase (twice), King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Breeders' Cup Turf, Coronation Cup and Prince of Wales's Stakes. He was also placed in the Prix du Jockey Club, Cox Plate, International Stakes, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and Champion Stakes. He holds the record for the greatest amount of prize money earned by a racehorse trained in Europe.

Charming Thought is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He showed his best form as a two-year-old in 2014. After finishing second on his debut he won two minor races and then recorded a 22/1 upset victory in the Middle Park Stakes. He then suffered from injury problems and did not run again until 2016 when he finished unplaced in three starts.

Ribchester (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Ribchester is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2015 he finished second in the Gimcrack Stakes on his second racecourse appearance and then won the Group Two Mill Reef Stakes. In 2016 he was rated the best British-trained colt of his generation and was one of the top milers in Europe, winning the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Prix Jacques Le Marois in France as well as being placed in the 2000 Guineas, Sussex Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. In 2017 he added further major victories in the Lockinge Stakes, Queen Anne Stakes and Prix du Moulin

Masar (horse) Irish Thoroughbred racehorse

Masar is an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse, best known for winning the 2018 Epsom Derby. He was highly tried as a two-year-old, finishing third in the Chesham Stakes and winning the Solario Stakes before contesting major races in France and the United States. After racing unsuccessfully in Dubai he returned to Europe in the spring of 2018 to win the Craven Stakes and then ran third when favourite for the 2000 Guineas. After winning the Derby in June he had injury problems and was off the course for over a year before returning as four-year-old in 2019. He failed to recover his form in two starts and was retired from racing.

Poets Word Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Poet's Word is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and breeding stallion. He showed useful but unremarkable form in his first two seasons before developing into a high-class performer at the age of four when he won the Glorious Stakes as well as finishing second in both the Irish Champion Stakes and the Champion Stakes. He continued his progress as a five-year-old in 2018, winning the Brigadier Gerard Stakes, Prince of Wales's Stakes and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Roaring Lion (horse) American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Roaring Lion was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He was the top-rated British-trained two-year-old of 2017, when he won three races including the Royal Lodge Stakes and suffered his only defeat when narrowly beaten by Saxon Warrior in the Racing Post Trophy. In the following year he won the Dante Stakes, the Eclipse Stakes, International Stakes, Irish Champion Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes as well as running third in the Craven Stakes, fifth in the 2000 Guineas and third in the Epsom Derby. He was euthanised following horse colic in 2019 at the age of four.

Royal Marine (horse) Racehorse trained in Britain

Royal Marine is an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2018 he was one of the best colts of his generation in Europe, winning two of his three races including the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère. He failed to reproduce his juvenile form in 2019 and was gelded.

Benbatl British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Benbatl is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He was unraced as a two-year-old in 2016 but in the following year he won the Hampton Court Stakes and was placed in both the Craven Stakes and the Dante Stakes as well as finishing fifth in the Epsom Derby. In 2018 he began the season in Dubai where he won the Singspiel Stakes and the Al Rashidiya before defeating a strong international field in the Dubai Turf. On his return to Europe he won the Bayerisches Zuchtrennen in Germany and was then sent to Australia where he took the Caulfield Stakes and ran second in the Cox Plate.

Cavalryman was a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. In eight seasons of racing he won ten times from thirty-nine starts in six countries, namely France, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Australia. Beginning his career in France he won one race as a juvenile but developed to become one of the best colts of his generation in 2009, winning the Prix Matchem, Grand Prix de Paris and Prix Niel as well as running third in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. After being transferred to the British/Emirati stable of Saeed bin Suroor he failed to win a race for the next two years but recovered his form when switched to competing over extended distances. He won the Grand Cup and Coral Marathon in 2012, the Dubai Gold Cup in 2013 and the Nad Al Sheba Trophy, Princess of Wales's Stakes and Goodwood Cup in 2014 at the age of eight. Cavalryman was fatally injured in a race at Meydan Racecourse in February 2015.

Blue Point (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Blue Point, is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He was one of the best British-trained two-year-olds of 2016 when he won the Gimcrack Stakes and was placed in the Richmond Stakes, Middle Park Stakes and Dewhurst Stakes. In the following year he developed into a high class sprint horse, taking the Pavilion Stakes and Bengough Stakes as well as running third in the Commonwealth Cup. As a four-year-old in 2018 he recorded his first Group 1 success in the King's Stand Stakes. In 2019 he won three races in Dubai including the Al Quoz Sprint before recording a double at Royal Ascot, taking the King's Stand Stakes for the second time and winning the Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

Quorto was an Irish-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He was one of the best two-year-olds in Europe in 2018 when he was unbeaten in three races including the Superlative Stakes and the National Stakes. Injuries prevented him from running as a three-year-old in 2019 and he suffered a fatal injury when being trained for his reappearance in 2020.

Ghaiyyath Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Ghaiyyath is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He showed very promising form as a juvenile in 2017 when he won two of his three races including the Autumn Stakes. Training problems restricted him to only one start in 2018, a victory in the Prix du Prince d'Orange. In the spring of 2019 he won the Prix d'Harcourt and ran third in the Prix Ganay before returning in autumn to win the Grosser Preis von Baden by fourteen lengths. In 2020 he added victories in the Dubai Millennium Stakes, Coronation Cup, Eclipse Stakes and International Stakes.

Kameko American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Kameko is an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2019 he won his first race and then ran second in both the Solario Stakes and the Royal Lodge Stakes before winning the Vertem Futurity Trophy. On his first appearance as a three-year-old he won the 2000 Guineas in record time.

Old Persian (horse) British Thoroughbred racehorse

Old Persian, is a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who has raced in England, Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Canada and the United States. He showed promise as a two-year-old in 2017 when he won two minor races from four starts. In the following year he showed top-class form over middle distances, winning the Fairway Stakes, King Edward VII Stakes and Great Voltigeur Stakes as well as finishing second in the Newmarket Stakes and fifth in the St Leger. He improved again as a four-year-old, winning the Dubai City of Gold, Dubai Sheema Classic and Northern Dancer Turf Stakes.

References

  1. 1 2 "Hawkbill pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-05-05.
  2. "Keeneland 2014 September Yearling Sale". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 2016-08-26.
  3. 1 2 Myra Lewyn (2 July 2016). "Hawkbill Posts Group I Win for Kitten's Joy". The Blood-Horse .
  4. "Kitten's Joy – Stud Record". Racing Post.
  5. "Trensa – Statistics". Equibase.
  6. 1 2 "Magnolia – Family 4-m". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
  7. "British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes result". Racing Post. 14 July 2015.
  8. "32Red Condition Stakes result". Racing Post. 9 September 2015.
  9. 1 2 Scott Burton (16 June 2016). "Royal Ascot Prince Of Lir lands Norfolk Stakes for Morris". Racing Post . Archived from the original on 20 June 2016.
  10. "Newmarket Stakes result". Racing Post. 30 April 2016.
  11. "Tercentenary Stakes result". Racing Post. 16 June 2016.
  12. "Eclipse Stakes result". Racing Post. 2 July 2016.
  13. "Hawkbill beats The Gurkha to win Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park". BBC Sport. 2 July 2016.
  14. "Aston Park Stakes result". Racing Post. 20 May 2017.
  15. "Princess of Wales's Stakes result". Racing Post. 13 July 2017.
  16. "Dubai City of Gold result". Racing Post. 10 March 2018.
  17. "Sheema Classic result". Racing Post. 31 March 2018.
  18. "Kitten's Joy's Hawkbill Wires the Sheema Classic". Thoroughbred Daily News. 31 March 2018.
  19. Melrose, Keith (9 October 2018). "Godolphin call time on career of dual Group 1 winner Hawkbill". Racing Post .
  20. "Darley announces 2020 fees for Japanese stallion roster". darley.co.jp. Retrieved 10 April 2020.