Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes
Group 2, Newmarket 13:50 £125,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 1m, Class 1
Tweet Saturday 28th September 2024

1 Wimbledon Hawkeye 4/1
2 Royal Playwright 7/1
3 Angelo Buonarroti 3/1J
7 ran Distances: 1½l, 1¾l, shd
Time: 1m 38.38s (slow by 2.38s)

Wimbledon Hawkeye continues his upward curve in fine style, staying on gamely in the Group 2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes with @the_doyler in the saddle 🏆@JPOwenRacing | @JuddmonteFarms pic.twitter.com/FIF0ZxFStg

— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) September 28, 2024

Wimbledon Hawkeye, a Kameko colt, trained by James Owen and owned by the Gredley Family, had previously impressed with a second-place finish to The Lion In Winter in the Acomb at York. He entered the Group Two race as a 4-1 shot under James Doyle.

Throughout the mile-long race, Wimbledon Hawkeye maintained a strong position and began to pull away from the field in the final furlong, ultimately finishing a length and a half ahead of runner-up Royal Playwright.

Trainer James Owen, who started training Flat horses in January, commented, “He’s been getting stronger all year and improving with each run – I’m learning at a slightly slower pace than he is! Life’s great, and I’m really enjoying it. 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.”

Owen added, “You’d have to consider the Guineas; a mile suits him, he handles the track well, and he’s a genuine Guineas prospect. Whether he runs again this season, we’ll see how he is. He’s entered in the Futurity at Doncaster, which is an option, or we might look at the Breeders’ Cup. Whether he’d run in a trial, I’m not sure – I only had my first Flat runner in January, so I’m learning as I go. He was quick out of the gate, travelled well, and finished strong in the last furlong.”

Owner Tim Gredley remarked, “I’d have thought America was unlikely, but we really hoped today would happen. We’ve always believed in him, and there’s more growth in him. Hopefully, he will develop into a Derby horse.”

Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes
£125,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 1m, Class 1
7 ran
Going: Soft, Good to Soft in places