Hawkbill Posts Group I Win for Kitten's Joy

North America's leading turf sire Kitten's Joy gained his first European group I winner July 2 when Kentucky-bred Hawkbill edged favorite The Gurkha by a half length in the Coral Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.

Racing for Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin, Hawkbill tracked pacesetter Countermeasure from second, with multiple group I winner The Gurkha getting a stalking trip in the 1 1/4-mile test. 

Entering the stretch, Hawkbill took charge for William Buick, but 4-6 favorite The Gurkha came on briefly to lead for Ryan Moore before the two colts drew away from their rivals in a battle to the finish line.

Hawkbill rallied to regain the advantage entering the final furlong, and had plenty of stamina left to seal the victory in the closing stages as The Gurkha could only hold on for second.

Hawkbill finished the trip in 2:10.71 on soft ground. Time Test, who challenged stablemate Countermeasure for command over a quarter mile out, was third in the field of seven.

Trained by Charlie Appleby, 3-year-old Hawkbill posted a sixth consecutive win—his three most recent going 1 1/4 miles. He came in off a success June 16 at Royal Ascot in the Tercentenary Stakes (Eng-III), which followed his breakthrough stakes triumph in the Havana Gold Newmarket Stakes April 30. He was supplemented to Saturday's race for £30,000.

"It is massive to win these races and we will let the dust settle first, but Hawkbill is a very good horse," Buick said after the Eclipse. "He goes on the ground very well and the future is very bright for him. On his last couple of runs, he has given us all the attributes of a good horse."

John Ferguson, Godolphin's racing manager and chief executive, said Sheikh Mohammed was eager to supplement Hawkbill, who was bred in Kentucky by the Helen K. Groves Revocable Trust. 

"Hopefully, Sheikh Mohammed will be back for the July Meeting at Newmarket next week and we can all have a sit down and a good think about where we want to go next," he said. "The horse has a great future ahead of him."

Ferguson signed the $350,000 sales receipt for Hawkbill at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale, where Gainesway consigned as agent. The colt's dam is grade III-placed Trensa, by Giant's Causeway. She is a three-quarters sister to multiple grade III winner Batique, both daughters of grade I winner Serape and from the family of U.S. leading sire Cozzene.

U.S. turf champion Kitten's Joy, resident sire at Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Ramsey Farm near Nicholasville, Ky., has 11 stakes winners this year, 10 of which are black-type winners.