Tag Archive for: Wimbledon Hawkeye

‘No rush’ for Burdett Road to resume hurdling career

Connections of Burdett Road are likely to delay a return to hurdling following his dominant win at Newmarket last week.

The four-year-old son of Muhaarar made all to win the Listed Godolphin Stakes by eight and a half lengths from the odds-on favourite Military Academy.

That win over a mile and a half is likely to shelve his planned return to obstacles in the Masterson Hurdle at Cheltenham later this month in favour of a trip to Ascot for the Long Distance Cup.

Burdett Road has won two of his three starts over hurdles, going down by 10 lengths to the smart Sir Gino in the Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle in the other, but the Cheltenham Festival remains the ultimate target.

Injury ruled the James Owen-trained gelding out of the Festival last year and owner-breeder Tim Gredley said: “I think that will change the plans. I have to say James Owen has done an amazing job with him because when he came back again, he was a bit keen and so on and so forth.

“He’s always maintained that if he does drop the bridle and settles down, he’ll be a good stayer on the Flat and I wouldn’t say last week was his last chance on the Flat before he goes back hurdling. They wanted to try something different on the tactics and it has kind of improved him no end.

“We’re in no rush to go hurdling. He’s obviously had a good break coming into the season so he doesn’t need a rest. We’ve got an entry on Champions Day in the stayers’ race and we’d probably monitor that before we go hurdling.

“It’s all about Cheltenham isn’t it? I know you’re not meant to say it, but it is. It’ll be great and it’s good for us that’s he’s running in some good races with some good prize money on the Flat.

“We’ll have one more Flat race and James will probably have a target mapped out for him over hurdles. I know there was the Masterson at Cheltenham, but I’m not sure how that works timings wise if we go to Ascot. Otherwise we’ll just take it how it goes.”

Ambiente Friendly is targetting the Champion Stakes
Ambiente Friendly is targetting the Champion Stakes (Steve Patson/PA)

Ambiente Friendly is likely to make his final appearance of the season in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.

The Derby runner-up was last seen when finishing last of the five runners in the Prix Niel at ParisLongchamp last month, but Gredley said a short break has done him the world of good.

He said: “We’ve actually had him at home for a few weeks to give him a change of scenery and he looks great.

James Fanshawe will make a final decision on whether Ambiente Friendly runs
James Fanshawe will make a final decision on whether Ambiente Friendly runs (Tim Goode/PA)

“He’s actually just gone back in on Monday and it’s up to the Fanshawes what they’d like to do, but he’s really, really in good order and he’s enjoyed a couple of weeks out in the field so the next couple of weeks will tell them if we go again or not, but the Champion Stakes is definitely on the radar.

“He’s a bit like Burdett Road, if he drops the bridle and gives himself a breather he will stay a mile and a half all day long. At the minute he just seems to be getting a bit revvy, so a mile and a quarter in testing conditions at Ascot at this point in his career seems to be the only logical step.

“We’ve had a few offers for him privately and that’s probably a decision that Dad (Bill) needs to make, but we’ll absolutely keep him in training next year. I think he’ll be a better horse next year. He’s still got some filling out to do and some growing, so probably a winter will give him some improvement.”



Try Tix for Better Tote Returns

Group Ones await Wimbledon Hawkeye after Royal Lodge triumph

Owner-breeder Tim Gredley is keeping his fingers crossed that he might have a potential Classic contender with Newmarket scorer Wimbledon Hawkeye.

The Kameko colt hit the front two furlongs out in the Group Two Royal Lodge Stakes and stayed on to see off Royal Playwright by one and a half lengths as he stepped up in trip to a mile for the first time.

The James Owen-trained two-year-old could be headed for the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster next month but also holds an entry in the Dewhurst Stakes.

It was his first win in Group company having been second to Derby and 2000 Guineas favourite The Lion In Winter in York’s Acomb Stakes, finishing ahead of Ruling Court, another leading contender for the Premier Classic at Epsom.

Gredley said: “Brilliant, wasn’t it? What we do it for as owner-breeders is having horses like that for those kind of meetings, so to go and win was great.

“I think he’s probably going to get further (than a mile). He’s always been quite under furnished so we haven’t wanted to over-race him, but he’s shown a bit of ability at home so we thought we’d run him.

“He just seems to keep filling out and growing with every race, so I think probably a mile plus next year (will be his trip).

“James will make the call but he’s entered in the race at Doncaster at the end of the year which will be a possibility.

“I went to see the horse yesterday down at the yard and he’s absolutely bouncing. You wouldn’t know he’s even had a race. I suppose we’ll keep our options open, he’s got an entry so we’ll see how it goes.

“We wouldn’t want the ground to go like it always does, it goes very soft so that would be one of the key factors in the decision.”

Gredley is not looking too far into the future but remains hopeful Wimbledon Hawkeye can prove to be a Classic contender.

He added: “We don’t know what’s going on from one day to another so we’ll just enjoy this year and what he’s done.

“Obviously every breeder wants to win the Derby – it’s normally a dream. If it looks like he’s got half a chance of being that kind of horse then we’d probably go that route. If not then we’ll see how it goes next year.”



Try Tix for Better Tote Returns

Wimbledon Hawkeye on the mark with Royal Lodge strike

Wimbledon Hawkeye served it up to his rivals to land the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket.

The Kameko colt, who is trained by James Owen and owned by the Gredley Family, had impressed when second to The Lion In Winter in the Acomb at York and was a 4-1 chance under James Doyle for the Group Two.

After a nice passage throughout the mile contest, he began to stride clear of the field ahead of the final furlong and came home a length and a half ahead of runner-up Royal Playwright.

Wimbledon Hawkeye is 25-1 for the 2000 Guineas with Coral, who trimmed The Lion In Winter to 9-2 from 5-1 favourite for Classic glory.

Owen, who only began training Flat horses in January, said: “He’s got stronger all year and has improved with every run – I’ve learned at a little bit slower rate than he has!

“Life’s great, I’m really enjoying it and 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 Guineas; a 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 Futurity at Doncaster, which is a possibility, or we could look to the Breeders’ Cup.

“Whether he’d run in a trial, I don’t know – I only had my first runner on the Flat in January, so I’m learning as I go.

“He was quick out of the gate, travelled well, I thought for a minute he was going to over-race, but he was strong through the last furlong.”

Owner Tim Gredley said: “I’d have thought America was unlikely but we really hoped today would happen.

“We’ve always believed in him, there was more growing in him and hopefully he will develop into a Derby horse.”



Try Tix for Better Tote Returns

Wimbledon Hawkeye has the Royal Lodge in his sights at Newmarket

James Owen is looking to serve an ace at Newmarket this weekend when Wimbledon Hawkeye heads to the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes.

A first winner for his sire Kameko when scoring at Kempton on debut, he found the podium in the Superlative Stakes on his second outing before splitting Classic hopes The Lion In Winter and Ruling Court when the silver medallist in the Acomb Stakes at York.

The Gredley Family-owned youngster has been the star of Owen’s Flat team and the trainer is keen to see how much improvement is lurking in the locker as the talented colt steps up in distance on the Rowley Mile on Saturday.

“It looks like the right race for him and he has been training really well since the Acomb,” said Owen.

“My first two-year-old runners were generally needing their experience, but he won on debut and then came on really well in the Superlative and then again at York. His figures have improved each run he’s had and hopefully they continue to do so.

“I’m really enjoying training the two-year-olds and he’s a homebred out of one of the Gredley Family horses (Eva Maria) as well, so that’s what is really nice. We’re in a privileged position and really enjoying it.”

Trainer James Owen has some nice horses under his care
Trainer James Owen has some nice horses under his care (Mike Egerton/PA)

A five-time UK champion trainer of Arabian horses, Owen has enjoyed great support from Wimbledon Hawkeye’s owners since expanding his business to train under rules on both the Flat and over jumps.

As well as Wimbledon Hawkeye to look forward to this weekend, Grade One-winning chaser Allmankind could make his first appearance for Owen at Market Rasen on Saturday, while the Gredley silks will also be seen aboard Burdett Road in Newmarket’s Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Godolphin Stakes on Friday.

The Listed event is poised to be the final Flat appearance for the Royal Ascot winner before he resumes a career over obstacles that saw him land Grade Two honours as a juvenile hurdler last November.

Burdett Road will return to hurdling soon
Burdett Road will return to hurdling soon (Nigel French/PA)

“It’s a lovely race for him we thought and being back at Newmarket will really suit him,” continued Owen.

“He settled well for Harry Davies at Chester and I think he heads there with a good chance.

“After this he will head to the Masterson Holdings Hurdle for four-year-olds at Cheltenham – I would say this will be his last Flat run before we go back hurdling.”



Try Tix for Better Tote Returns

Owen has much to look forward to with Wimbledon Hawkeye

James Owen believes Wimbledon Hawkeye has a very bright future having split The Lion In Winter and Ruling Court in the Acomb Stakes at York last week.

Aidan O’Brien’s The Lion In Winter and Charlie Appleby’s Ruling Court were joint-favourites for the Derby before their clash, in which the Ballydoyle runner broke the course record.

While Owen has no next target in mind just yet, he feels the Gredley family-owned Kameko colt will be even better next season.

“Wimbledon ran great, it was a track record and he’s a real nice horse for the future,” said Owen.

“He’s well entered up, we haven’t made a plan for where we are going yet but he’s definitely going to improve for going over a mile if not further.

“He got beaten by the Guineas and Derby favourite and yet he’s not even in the betting for either, which is slightly annoying. I’m sure if he was trained by a big outfit he would be.”

Elsewhere at York, Owen felt Burdett Road failed to stay the Ebor trip and he will run over shorter next time out before going back over hurdles.

Well fancied for the feature race on the Knavesmire, he faded inside the final furlong to finish 12th behind Magical Zoe.

“I had a great time at York, we were unlucky in a couple of races, I learned a bit myself and I personally didn’t think Burdett stayed, but we’ll find out, we’ll know next time,” said Owen.

“He’s come out of the race great so we’ll definitely go again on the Flat, we might just bring him back in trip.

“He’s had quite a light campaign really because he had the break after his hurdling campaign.

“He’s definitely going to go back hurdling, but we will look to run again on the Flat, just bring him back in trip a bit. We put the hood on to help him stay a mile and six, but we’ll probably take it off and do what he used to do.”



Try Tix for Better Tote Returns