Back-to-Back Group Three Successes for Skyhawk

Kiwi Skyhawk (NZ) (Contributer) completed an unprecedented autumn double with his thrilling last-stride win in the $120,000 Group Three Trelawney Stud Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.

Now the winner of three of his 11 starts and $281,975 in stakes, Kiwi Skyhawk was a $240,000 purchase from Cambridge Stud’s draft in Book 1 of Karaka 2023.

Kiwi Skyhawk went into Saturday’s Championship Stakes as a last-start winner of the Group Three Manawatu Classic (2100m) at Trentham on March 29. In the decade since the Championship Stakes was moved from New Year’s Day to its current autumn slot, no horse had won both of those three-year-old features.

The Stephen Marsh-trained Kiwi Skyhawk changed that on Saturday. After rounding the home turn in fifth and giving away a big head start to the leaders, the consistent gelding warmed up and began to lengthen stride for regular rider Matt Cartwright.

Kiwi Skyhawk went into full flight in the final 100 metres, diving through in between Zormella (NZ) (Almanzor) and Roctave (Roc De Cambes) to score a heart-stopping victory by a nose.

These autumn successes are a well-earned reward for Kiwi Skyhawk, who had previously run third in the Group Three War Decree Stakes (1400m), fourth in the Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), fifth in the $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), seventh in the Group Two Avondale Guineas (2100m) and fifth in the Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m).

“He’s a lovely horse who’s been so consistent,” Marsh’s stable representative and bloodstock agent Dylan Johnson said. “We’ve run him in good company all the way through the season and he’s just kept doing a great job in every race. It’s nice to see him pick up a couple of good wins in the autumn, because he certainly deserves it.

“We’ll have a team talk on Monday about what we do with him from here, but I’d be leaning towards saying he’s done enough for the season. He’s done a good job and is only going to get better with a bit more maturity.”

The Championship Stakes produced a Karaka quinella, with runner-up Zormella being a graduate of Landsdowne Park’s Book 1 draft at Karaka 2023. She failed to meet her $30,000 reserve, but has now had five starts for two wins, a placing and $159,945 in stakes.