Date posted April 16, 2010 | Posted by Michele Cullen | Filed under
Racing and BreedingTeam Hawkes the leading buyer at William Inglis Easter sale are returning to Hong Kong with the tough galloper Dao Dao in a bid to claim the Champions Mile at Sha Tin on Sunday April 25 at his
third attempt.
Team Hawkes are hoping the six-year-old gelding will go a couple of spots better in the feature after finishing third last year when only beaten a head improving off the eighth position in 2008.
Dao Dao (Shinko Forest ex Casual Way by Casual Lies) travelled from Australia in 2007 when he was shipped to Hong Kong to be trained by John Size after having raced successfully in Sydney. Under the care of Size the good looking gelding won four races at Sha Tin in 2007 and 2008 but a major prize eluded him and he was returned by his owner back to Hawkes in Sydney in 2009.
A resurgence in his form saw him back last year for April’s feature mile race and he was arguably unlucky behind Sight Winner (Faltaat ex Kinjinette by Kinjite) and Egyptian Ra (Woodborough ex Egyptian Queen by Karioi Lad).
‘We’re really looking forward to having another crack at the race. He’s certainly accustomed to the flying, he’s in terrific shape and his recent form has been very solid,’ said co-trainer John Hawkes who operates in partnership with his sons Michael and Wayne.
Dao Dao came into the Champions Mile last year off a Listed race win. This year he’s not won in four preparatory runs but they’ve been at Group 1 and Group 2 level and there’s little doubt his form is stronger than 12 months ago.
He’s run seconds, in the Expressway Stakes and George Ryder Stakes, behind the Chris Waller trained stablemates Rangirangdoo and Danleigh, and both are highly rated in Saturday’s Group I AJC Doncaster Hcp (1600m) at Randwick.
Dao Dao had also finished runner-up in the Group I Futurity Stakes, the first leg of the Asian Mile Challenge, behind Typhoon Tracy, the highest rated mare in Australia at present, and, Saturday’s favourite for the Group I Doncaster Hcp.
