Three year old Hawkbill is the best of Godolphin’s three runners in the Group 3 £90,000 Tercentenary Stakes (1 mile, 2 furlongs) at Royal Ascot in England today.
Hawkbill will carry the royal blue colours of Godolphin in the Tercentenary Stakes at Royal Ascot. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Trainer Charlie Appleby will saddle up Hawkbill who will wear the Godolphin royal blue colours while Saeed bin Suroor will lead in Prize Money who will wear the white cap and Race Day with the red cap.
Hawkbill is the winner of his last four starts and resumed from a long spell to score a first up win in the Listed Havana Gold Newmarket Stakes at Newmarket on April 30 over the same distance as the Tercentenary Stakes.
Appleby said that the Kitten’s Joy colt has come through his first up run in fine order and the soft ground today won’t affect him.
“Hawkbill was impressive in his first run back this season when winning the Newmarket Stakes,” Appleby said.
“He handled the good to soft conditions then and has come out of the race well. He goes into the race in good order although extreme ground conditions would be an unknown.”
Saeed bin Suroor has reported that both Prize Money and Race Day are in good order as they prepare for their Royal Ascot assignment.
“Prize Money has finished second on both his starts this season and a mile and a quarter is a good trip for him. He is in good form and has been working well but we will have to wait and see how he handles the ground. Race Day is also in good order,” Saeed bin Suroor.
Hawkbill is marked at $5.50 with Ladbrokes.com.au and has drawn barrier two in the nine horse field with William Buick retaining the ride.
James Doyle rides $7 chance Prize Money (barrier 4) who is coming off a second in the Listed EBF Stallions Cocked Hat Stakes (1 mile, 3 furlongs) at Goodwood on May 20 while Race Day (barrier 9, $31) with Martin Lane in the saddle was a last start fourth in the Listed King Charles II Stakes (7 furlongs) at Newmarket on May 14.
Frankie Dettori rides the Sir Michael Stoute trained Abdon who heads the market order at $4.50 and will jump from barrier eight.
Abdon has only been to the races twice for a maiden win over 1 mile at Newbury in August last year and then resumed with a second to Hawkbill in the Newmarket Stakes.
