Fawkner Storms to Caulfield Cup Win

The BMW Caulfield Cup (Aus-I) had been in the plans for Fawkner for nearly a year, and the 6-year-old Reset gelding sprung a long-sought win in the race for owners Lloyd and Nick Williams Oct. 19.

 

Jockey Nick Hall settled Fawkner in 12th along the rail in the early running as Julienas set the early tempo before Jet Away burned to the lead from the 800-meter mark and seized control with 400-meters to run.

 

As Fawkner was angled out into contention nearing the home turn, James McDonald guided Dear Demi over to the rail to make her run. Fawkner drove through rivals at the 300 meter mark and charged swiftly on the outside with Dear Demi storming along the rail, but Fawkner was too strong. Surging near the finish line, he won convincingly by 1 1/4 lengths from late-running Dandino, who snatched second from Dear Demi. 

 

Jet Away held on for fourth in the 18-horse field. Hawkspur started as the 4.20-1 favorite but was never a factor and finished seventh.

 

Fawkner was timed in 2:29.10 for 2,400 meters (1 1/2 miles) in the race worth $2,417,875 in United States funds. At 11-1 odds, he earned the first top level win of his career while making his final start. 

 

"We're pretty big on setting horses for their grand finale and this was this horses' grand finale and he's done a great job. I think it [Caulfield Cup] is the hardest race to win in Australia," Nick Williams said.

 

Trained by Robert Hickmott, Fawkner had previously competed with distinction in group I races, and the Caulfield Cup was penciled in last November after a deal to buy him was not completed.

 

A four-race win streak in 2012 included his first group win in the Chatham Stakes (Aus-III) in November and was followed by a nose second to Happy Trials in the Emirates Cantala Stakes (Aus-I) a week later at Flemington to start a five race winless skid. The drought included a third to star mare Black Caviar in the William Reid Stakes (Aus-I) in March and a third to Happy Trials in the Turnbull Stakes (Aus-I) Oct. 5 at Flemington in his previous start.

 

The Williams family previously placed second twice in the Caulfield Cup: with Nayrizi in 1989 and Green Moon in 2011.

 

Fawkner is out of the Danewin mare Dane Belltar, a group III winner who was runner-up in the

2003 Crowne Oaks (Aus-I). He is a half brother to group II winner Tanby.

By Lloyd Williams' three-time Group 1 winner Reset, a son of Zabeel, Fawkner was bred by Steve Bennetts and purchased for $70,000 ($$44,772) out of the Mill Park consignment at the 2009 Inglis Melbourne premier yearling sale.