Hawk Wing has Champion look about him
This has the makings of a classic head-to-head between Ballydoyle and Godolphin and anything but a victory for one of the the big two, Hawk Wing or Grandera, will be a major surprise.
The two biggest outfits in European racing went toe-to-toe in this contest last year, with Goldolphin’s Fantastic Light beating Ballydoyle’s Galileo after a titanic tussle in the straight.
It is generally accepted, indeed Aidan O’Brien said as much in the immediate aftermath, that Godolphin’s tactics worked far better on the day than their rival’s.
Tactics are again set to play a major part on this occasion with Sholokhov backing up Hawk Wing and Best Of The Bests in Grandera’s camp.
Both Best Of The Bests and Sholokhov are quite comfortable making the running, so their should be plenty pace on.
At the end of the day this is likely to be decided by which colt possesses the greater turn of foot and Hawk Wing appears to hold the aces in that department.
As well all logic dictates he is easily the form horse. The son of Woodman won the Eclipse Stakes, on unsuitably soft ground, from Sholokhov at Sandown last time, but it is his previous two efforts which mark him down as a top-class colt.
Hawk Wing was outstayed by High Chaparral in the Epsom Derby, after failing by a neck to Rock Of Gibraltar in the English 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket.
The Newmarket effort was his best to date, considering the unfavourable draw he had to attempt to overcome. As well as that Rock Of Gibraltar has gone on to prove himself an outstanding racehorse.
Grandera was quite brilliant when taking the Prince Of Wales’ Stakes at Royal Ascot by a massive five lengths.
He was way below par subsequently when only fifth to Golan in the King George at Ascot. Possibly, the mile and a half that day was further than he wanted to travel and this 10 furlongs is his ideal trip.
But Hawk Wing has everything in his favour now, particularly the fast ground, and he should swoop late and fast for a decisive success!
Dermot Weld’s progressive Dress To Thrill is napped to land the Group Three Matron Stakes. She has trained on really well and there was plenty to like about the manner in which she buckled down when beating Duck Row on this track last month.
Weld’s Sights On Gold, a creditable second to Chancellor at the Curragh, will be a popular choice in the Lyons’ Gold Blend Kilternan Stakes, but preference is for John Oxx’s Millstreet.
The son of Polish Precedent has had a largely frustrating three-year-old campaign, but won’t have to improve much on his half a length second to Vinnie Roe on this track to take a hand now.
