G1 Coral-Eclipse S. winner Hawkbill (Kitten's Joy) had his final piece of serious work on Thursday in preparation for next Wednesday's G1 Juddmonte International, galloping six furlongs at Godolphin's Moulton Paddocks with a lead horse.
“He went through the gears nicely, and I was pleased with him,” said trainer Charlie Appleby of the 3-year-old. “It was nice building work.”
Appleby noted Hawkbill, who also took Royal Ascot's G3 Tercentenary S. June 16, has thrived since his July 2 Coral-Eclipse score.
“He is the same body weight as he was going into the Eclipse, which is surprising because visually he appears heavier,” the conditioner said. “The scales say he is exactly the same, though. I would say that he is strengthening and still maturing physically.
Hawkbill rides a six-race win streak, and Appleby said the chestnut is adaptive to his conditions.
“As for the ground at York, he can handle soft, as we saw at Ascot and Sandown, and if it is sound underfoot, it would not worry him either,” he said. “Being by Kitten's Joy, he would probably appreciate a sounder surface, anyway.”
Appleby also provided an update on 'TDN Rising Star' Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal), second to Mehmas (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in the G2 Richmond S. July 28.
“Blue Point has done well since Goodwood and we will take a look at next week's [G2] Gimcrack S. with him before deciding whether to step him up to seven furlongs,” Appleby said. “Inexperience was probably what got him beat in the Richmond–he was rolling around and looking at the crowd while the winner is a battle-hardened, proven performer.”
He added, “Blue Point has showed a lot of natural pace, but we will learn a good deal more about him once we drop him in behind horses. Given a lead and a bigger field he will be a different horse.”
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