Wimbledon Hawkeye on the mark with Royal Lodge strike

James Owen’s colt came home strongly to land Group Two prize.

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.”

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