Hawk wing may have tilt at QE11
Speaking yesterday, Aidan O’Brien said: “We will decide nearer the day, but Hawk Wing is a possibility for Ascot.’’
He described the son of Woodman as ‘grand’, following the colt’s short head defeat behind Grandera in the Ireland The Food Island Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.
A number of commentators have criticised the Ballydoyle tactics, believing Sholokhov went off much too quick. O’Brien, however, was having nothing to do with attempting to find reasons for Hawk Wing’s defeat.
“He likes to hear his hooves rattle and the rain got into the ground, but I am making no excuses’’, he said.
“I thought Hawk Wing ran a great race and, you’d imagine, he will improve for the run.’’
In the wake of Rock Of Gibraltar’s success in the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp on Sunday, his seventh straight Group One, beating mighty Mill Reef’s record of six, the indications were that he would head next to Ascot for the Queen Elizabeth.
Said O’Brien: “If he doesn’t go to Ascot then it will be direct to the Breeders’ Cup Mile for him.’’
Dual Derby winner, High Chaparral, remains on target for Sunday’s Prix Niel at Longchamp, a race which will be shown live on BBC.
“He seems to be fine’’, said O’Brien, as he prepares the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe favourite to take on French Derby winner, Sulamani.
He has left three in Saturday’s English Leger at Doncaster, Sholokhov, Ballingarry and Black Sam Bellamy.
“We have to declare on Thursday, so they will be tested on Wednesday’’, revealed O’Brien. “We will then decide who will travel. The likelihood is that two of them will go and one will remain at home for the Irish Leger (Saturday) at the Curragh.’’
At the Curragh on Sunday the feature is the Group One National Stakes and O’Brien nominated Van Nistelrooy and Spartacus as his main possibilities.
The Ballydoyle handler had an upbeat bulletin regarding the coughing which has thrown his plans into disarray over the past number of weeks. “We still have some horses coughing, but seem to be on the way out of it,’’ he said.
