By Sean Cronin
The Gredley Family's homebred Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko–Eva Maria {GB}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}), who had placed in both G2 Superlative Stakes and G3 Acomb Stakes, was rewarded for those earlier efforts with a decisive success in Saturday's G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket.
The February-foaled bay, who lined up as a solid 4-1 chance, broke swiftly and stalked the tempo in second until beyond halfway. Easing to the fore going well approaching the quarter-mile marker, he quickened in style emerging out of the dip and kept on strongly, despite rolling around in front up the hill, to defeat G3 Solario Stakes third Royal Playwright (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) by 1 1/2 lengths in game fashion.
“We really hoped today would happen and now it has,” said owner Tim Gredley. “We have always believed there is so much more growing in him, so we'll sit back, let the dust settle and see what happens. Maybe the [G1] Derby next year could be his route, but we're all bluffers trying to have a dream. James [Doyle] said the horse travelled so easily through the race. The [soft] ground is not an issue for him and it's a lovely position to be in. I would say it's very doubtful he'll go to America for the Breeders' Cup this year. Let's just get today out of the way and enjoy it.”
Trainer James Owen added, “He's got stronger all year and has improved with every run. I can't thank the Gredley family and my other owners enough, horses like this make it all worthwhile. He's a horse to dream of. You'd have to be thinking of the [G1 2000] Guineas as the mile is fine, he handles the track well and for me he's a proper Guineas prospect. Whether he runs again this season, I don't see why not, we'll see how he is. He's in the [G1] Futurity at Doncaster, which is a possibility.”
Pedigree Notes
Wimbledon Hawkeye, who becomes the second pattern-race winner for his first-crop sire, is the first foal out of a multiple-winning half to G1 Prix de Maurice de Gheest runner-up and dual Group-winning sire James Garfield (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}). The February-foaled bay's dam Eva Maria (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is also kin to the stakes-placed duo The Shrew (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and Morag McCullagh (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}). Descendants of his stakes-winning second dam Whazzat (GB) (Daylami {Ire}) include Listed Rose Bowl Stakes winner Nate The Great (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and G2 May Hill Stakes third Perfect Prophet (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}). Whazzat is a half-sister to G3 Premio Sergio Cumani victrix Whazzis (GB) (Desert Prince {GB}) as well as being a full-sister to the dam of this year's G3 Prix du Lys winner and G1 Grand Prix de Paris third Delius (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Eva Maria has a yearling colt by Mohaather (GB) to come.
Game, set & match for Wimbledon Hawkeye who lands the G2 Royal Lodge 🎾@JPOwenRacing | @NewmarketRace | @the_doyler pic.twitter.com/ICRxVwUWpZ
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 28, 2024
Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
JUDDMONTE ROYAL LODGE STAKES-G2, £125,000, Newmarket, 9-28, 2yo, c/g, 8fT, 1:38.38, sf.
1–WIMBLEDON HAWKEYE (GB), 128, c, 2, by Kameko
1st Dam: Eva Maria (GB), by Sea The Stars (Ire)
2nd Dam: Whazzat (GB), by Daylami (Ire)
3rd Dam: Wosaita (GB), by Generous (Ire)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-The Gredley Family; B-Stetchworth & Middle Park Studs Ltd (GB); T-James Owen; J-James Doyle. £70,888. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-1, $156,817. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Royal Playwright (GB), 128, c, 2, Lope De Vega (Ire)–Arabian Queen (Ire), by Dubawi (Ire). O-J C Smith; B-Littleton Stud (GB); T-Andrew Balding. £26,875.
3–Angelo Buonarroti, 128, c, 2, Justify–Curlylocks (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. ($135,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP; €1,000,000 2yo '24 ARQBRU). O-Amo Racing Ltd; B-Orpendale. Chelston & Wynatt (KY); T-Ralph Beckett. £13,450.
Margins: 1HF, 1 3/4, SHD. Odds: 4.00, 7.00, 3.00.
Also Ran: Puppet Master (Ire), Luther (GB), Hawksbill (GB), Law Of Design (Ire).
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
