Owner-breeder Tim Gredley is hopeful that Newmarket winner Wimbledon Hawkeye could emerge as a potential Classic contender.
The Kameko colt took control two furlongs out in the Group Two Royal Lodge Stakes, securing a one-and-a-half-length victory over Royal Playwright after stepping up to a mile for the first time. Trained by James Owen, the two-year-old now has the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster next month on his radar, though he also holds an entry in the Dewhurst Stakes.
This marked his first win in Group company after finishing second to Derby and 2000 Guineas favourite The Lion In Winter in York’s Acomb Stakes, where he finished ahead of another Derby hopeful, Ruling Court.
Gredley expressed his delight, saying, "It was brilliant! As owner-breeders, this is exactly what we dream of—to have horses performing at these kinds of meetings. I think he’ll get further than a mile. He’s been a bit underdeveloped, so we’ve taken it easy with him, but he’s shown promise at home."
He added, "Wimbledon Hawkeye keeps maturing with every race, so I think his distance next year will likely be over a mile. He’s entered in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster, but we’ll have to see how things play out, especially with the ground potentially softening."
While Gredley remains cautious about predicting too far ahead, he’s optimistic about Wimbledon Hawkeye’s future. "We’ll enjoy what he’s done this year. Every breeder dreams of winning the Derby. If he looks like he’s got a shot, we’ll aim for it. If not, we’ll assess our options next year," he said.