Canadian G1 bids by Dutch Connection & Hawkbill

Dutch Connection and Hawkbill go after G1 success in two of Canada’s leading turf races at Woodbine on Saturday, September 16. 

Five-year-old Dutch Connection (Charlie Hills/Mickael Barzalona) steps back up in class and trip for the G1 Woodbine Mile after staying on powerfully for a decisive victory over seven furlongs in the G3 Supreme Stakes at Goodwood, UK, on August 27. 

The son of Dutch Art also triumphed over seven furlongs at Goodwood in the G2 Lennox Stakes last year and has put up several excellent performances over a mile, including when taking second behind Territories in the G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville, France, in 2015. 

Charlie Hills said: “Dutch Connection has to stay the mile but he has decent enough form and has faced some good horses in his career. 

“He settles well off a fast pace and it allows him to travel into the last two furlongs. 

“He is a consistent horse, who has never really had his conditions in his previous runs at G1 level, and is capable of winning a big race like this if gets fast a pace and quick ground.”

The field of 12 for the 2017 Woodbine Mile includes World Approval, who won the G1 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga in August, plus European challengers Mondialiste, Arod, Deauville and Lancaster Bomber.  Dutch Connection is drawn in stall 11.

Hawkbill (Charlie Appleby/Colm O’Donoghue), who captured the G1 Eclipse Stakes over 10 furlongs at Sandown Park, UK, in July, 2016, tries for a second success at the highest level in the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes over a mile and a half. 

The four-year-old Kitten’s Joy colt was the game winner the 12-furlong G2 Princess Of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket in July and kept on when going down a length to Dschingis Secret over the same trip in the G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten, Germany on August 13.  

Charlie Appleby reported: “Hawkbill has travelled over to Canada well.

“He is drawn on the outside in stall eight but that shouldn’t be an inconvenience as we will go forward anyway – if he is a bit slowly away, it gives us a chance to get into the race. 

“The ground will be as quick as he has encountered before, but he heads into this race in good form and, if he can reproduce his European performances this season, he is going to be bang there.”

Hawkbill faces seven rivals in the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes, with Messi, a G2 winner at Woodbine in 2016, likely to provide the main opposition.