Hawkbill continues his meteoric rise

HAWKBILL gave jockey William Buick the perfect leaving present when battling on to win the Eclipse.

The three-year-old had been supplemented into the race at a cost of £30,000 but Godolphin were rewarded as he picked up nearly ten times that in prize money.

It was the perfect timing for William Buick who starts his 30-day ban soon for his ride at Chantilly.

He said: "This has come at a very good time - the best-timed winner I have ever had.

"It is disappointing to be missing so much of the season, but I have put that behind me and we move on. I am sure there is plenty that will keep me busy."

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Buick added: "I always knew I had a couple of gears left with my horse and he showed a fighting spirit - this is the track to be doing that, with the uphill finish.

"He has surprised me. On pedigree, you wouldn't even walk him on soft ground, so it is surprising, but the last two months, he's been unrecognisable.

"He's had a good winter in Dubai, he never ran there but he came back and won at Newmarket, which was a bit of a surprise the way he won like he did. Then he went to Ascot and won very easily. He's come forward for that and won again. Mentally and physically he has grown up so much.

"I'm a little bit speechless to be honest with you, it means a lot."

Appleby put Hawkbill's sixth straight victory down to maturity. He said: "Full Credit to the horse. We put a bit of mileage on him, but shipped him back from Dubai and went to Ascot confident we would run a decent race.

"What he did was there for all to see, but he was awash with sweat beforehand. That is his trait and his biggest challenge has been himself.

"What I was delighted with after Ascot was how he has strengthened mentally more so than physically and when I saddled him today, he didn't turn a hair. He walked round the paddock and looked as though he had turned from a boy into a man.

"He travelled so supremely well and if anything, William said he was just playing in the last half a furlong. He is a horse who has gone from strength to strength, I've never had one improve like him, mentally as much as anything. That was his challenge and that's what he has improved so much with."

John Ferguson, Godolphin racing manager and chief executive, added: "These are huge events to win, for Godolphin and any other owners.

"He's a horse that has improved and improved and the sky is the limit for him. I think it's going to be a really enjoyable time now thinking where to go. There's no hurry and the horse has a great future in front of him."

The race was not without incident as Time Test and Pat Smullen moved off the rail as Ryan Moore attempted to move towards it and as a result The Gurkha got a little lit up, according to trainer Aidan O'Brien.

O'Brien said: "It got a bit rough on the bend, he just came alive a bit early because of it.

"He showed a lot of speed and I wouldn't be sure if he stayed. He is by Galileo and you would imagine he would get a mile and a quarter, if it happened a little bit smoother for him, it might have happened, but he ran very well.

"He travelled very well today, I'm not sure but maybe his stamina just ran out a little bit in the soft ground. He handles the ground, but maybe when a horse is that pacey it can get them.

"I've always seen him as a fast Galileo and maybe we took the chance and maybe it was the wrong thing, but I'm not making any excuses.

"Originally the plan was to go from Ascot to the Sussex Stakes, but he was so well that we decided to run. I'd imagine, that if he is well enough, that could still be the plan to go (to Goodwood), but plans can change with horses.

"We try to do our best, but we can't win every day. That's the reality."