Brave hearts
Robin Oakley
Snooty head waiters and hotel proprietors who think they can palm off the room with wallpaper stains and view of the incinerator soon learn that you don't mess with Mrs Oakley. Last week a Lambeth mugger learned it, too. Her bag snatched as she was pushing two-year-old Isabel in a Kennington park, Mrs Oakley paused only to ensure her grand-daughter's safety before giving chase, yelling, 'Stop that thief,' and a few reflections on his parentage at the top of her voice. The chorus was taken up by decorators on the scaffolding nearby, so panicking the mugger that he dropped the handbag and fled even faster, without even helping himself to her purse or credit cards. As one who has on occasion had to face Mrs Oakley's wrath, I was only surprised to learn that he had not come crawling back on his hands and knees, offering flowers and begging forgiveness. But, joking apart, it takes real courage to act that way in the moment you become a crime statistic.
Whether Hawk Wing lacks the courage to go with his good looks, his natural pace and his brilliance on the training grounds was the big question after Aidan O'Brien's colt finished second to his stable companion High Chaparral in the Derby, following his second to Rock of Gibraltar in the 2000 Guineas. Many of us were hoping for an answer in this year's Coral Eclipse at Sandown, the first big trial between the Group One three-year-olds and their elders. Alas, it was not to be. The ground, not just soft but tackily holding, frightened off many of the potential runners and we saw no epic duel, no driving to the line finish between two top colts like the struggle between Giant's Causeway and Kalanisi in 2000, which might have settled the question once and for all. We did, thankfully, see Hawk Wing's much needed victory in a Group One as he beat stable companion Sholokhov by two and a half lengths. (Thanks to Stephen Wallis, Epsom's executive director, for alerting me before the race to the value bet of the day, the sponsors' 7-4 against Hawk Wing winning by two lengths or more, I'll be able to buy Mrs Oakley a new handbag now.) But although I feel almost guilty for saying so, the Eclipse, usually such a cracking race, was a curiously bloodless affair, lacking in excitement. Poor Hawk Wing could do no more than win by a respectable margin, and Sholokhov had after all been second in the Irish Derby. But we keep looking for something more, not just victory but majesty. Trainer Aldan O'Brien blames himself for his pre-season mention of Hawk Wing in the same breath as Nijinsky and for suggesting that he might win a Triple Crown. But what is intriguing is that the horse's connections still can't quite kick the superlatives habit. Even on Saturday Aidan was insisting that no horse has ever so excited him at home and that he has never known an animal he would so willingly run at any distance from six furlongs to 12. Jockey Mick Kinane declared that Hawk Wing had not been out-fought by High Chaparral on Derby day, merely outstayed. The top race specialist insisted that Hawk Wing is one of the best colts he has ever ridden.
I know the Ballydoyle crowd have a stud value to bolster, but we should remember that Hawk Wing, who broke the seven furlong record at The Curragh at two, was desperately unlucky in the draw and in his racing position in the 2000 Guineas. Rock of Gibraltar, who beat him that day, has proved to be the season's champion miler. Both at Epsom and at Sandown, Hawk Wing had to run on ground he hated, so much so that he was nearly taken out of Saturday's race after connections had walked the course. And Mick Kinane is insistent that we haven't seen him run up to his potential yet. Just watch Hawk Wing when he gets the good ground he likes, he keeps saying. That's good enough for me. If anybody offers 7-4 against him winning the Juddmonte by two lengths or more I'll be a taker.
A few thoughts more from Saturday's card. The fourth victory in a row for Neville Callaghan's Football Crazy was a reminder of how his Newmarket stable, down to only a couple of dozen inmates, is absolutely flying at the moment. Rod Millman and excited owners Bertie and Avril Gooding have a really nice two-year-old in Prince Nureyev, who much impressed rider Steve Drowne with his style of racing in winning the seven-furlong maiden. 'He's the only horse I've ever bought with a real pedigree,' said Rod of the 50,000-punt Desert King colt. the most expensive horse in his yard, who holds a Derby entry. James Fanshawe's Heretic was a big fancy for the Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot before missing that race when the ground was too firm. Given the chance to get his toe in, he romped away with the Tote Scoop Handicap at Sandown and must be backed again so long as he gets good ground. And when I spoke to Terry Mills after his Boleyn Castle, a 33-1 winner at Sandown in his previous outing, had come second in the opening sprint he was sure that if the colt hadn't got off to such a brilliant start he would have been first rather than second to Palace Affair. Terry praised stable rider Robert Miles, who rides Boleyn Castle at home and who didn't panic when he found himself up front instead of covering the colt in third or fourth as intended. Others might have tried to belt their way home, said Terry, tut we've still got a horse'. Watch for some nice two-year-olds from his Epsom yard coming out soon.
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