Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Rich plums are on the agenda for Street Hawk, who reappeared after a 14-week absence with a most impressive effortless victory in the 2130m Barbagallo Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
His immediate aims are sure to be the $50,000 Group 3 Chandon Classic on March 3 and the Group 3 Preux Chevalier Classic on March 24, and already he looks one of the main hopes for the rich events for four-year-olds late in the year — the $50,000 Four-Year-Old Championship (November 17), the $125,000 Four-Year-Old Classic (December 1) and the $200,000 Golden Nugget (December 15).
Deni Roberts, handling Street Hawk for the first time for champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, had an armchair drive behind the $1.20 favourite, who was untroubled to lead from the No. 2 barrier.
The lead time was a modest 37.3sec., followed by opening quarters of 31.4sec. and 29.7sec. He then sprinted over the final 400m sections in 28.5sec. and 28.2sec. and was not extended in winning by 7m from $23 chance Simply Shaz, who was tenth at the 550m before sustaining a powerful three-wide burst.
“Street Hawk felt like he was doing it in second gear,” said Roberts. “He is a very nice horse. His work at home has been good, and to come here and to do that is pretty exciting. I’m very much looking forward to this campaign. He’s special and has got that brilliant turn of foot which is going to take him a long way.”
The New Zealand-bred Street Hawk is by champion sire Bettors Delight and is the fourth foal out of the Falcon Seelster mare Racketeers Girl, who raced 54 times in WA for eight wins, 14 placings and stakes of $86,545. She finished fourth behind Artemis Belle in the 2011 WA Oaks.
Street Hawk raced six times in New Zealand for two wins and one placing. His nine WA starts have produced six wins and one third placing. He is closely related to Bettor Dreams (a half-sister to Racketeers Girl) who had 45 starts for 14 wins, 14 placings and $186,952. Bettor Dreams finished second to Eagle Rox in the Group 1 Diamond Classic in June 2012 and was second to the brilliant Frith in the WA Oaks in May 2013.