Hawk Island is nearing a career swan song but will take aim in Sunday’s McKell Cup at Randwick and do battle with the likes of emerging stayer Western Symbol.
The Gai Waterhouse-trained Western Symbol is favoured to continue his excellent autumn form as he leads a three-pronged stable assault in the 2400m Listed feature with Hawk Island the only representative for premier trainer Chris Waller.
“If he’s as good as we think he is then he should be winning,” Western Symbol’s jockey Tommy Berry said.
“He’s doing everything right and has come on in leaps and bounds this preparation so I can’t see any reason why he won’t run well again.”
Waller, on the other hand, would love to see Hawk Island return to the winner’s circle as he enters the twilight of his career.
“He’s just been a couple of lengths away from his best form this preparation,” Waller said of the seven-year-old.
“He’s getting a bit older but he’s been a very good horse to us and we’ll probably give him a couple more chances this prep and then probably look at retirement.
“We don’t want to just keep him going around forever but he is showing me enough to say that he’ll be competitive over the winter.
“We’ll start with this race and then there’s another 2400 metre race and then he’ll probably end up in the two mile race (Stayers Cup) at Rosehill. Then he’s probably done his job.
“He’s been a great horse to me.”
Hawk Island is one of a long list of imported gallopers Waller has had success with in Sydney as he has climbed to the top of the Sydney trainers’ premiership.
Hawk Island has won 10 of his 47 races and placed in two Group One staying contests.
He has also lined up in two Sydney Cups, a Caulfield Cup and a Melbourne Cup.
“He’s had a lot of bad luck too,” Waller said.
“He fell in the Sydney Cup (in 2011). He almost fell in the Caulfield Cup and he almost fell in the Melbourne Cup. He went down on his nose both times.
“He hasn’t had much luck in some big races and only six months ago he ran second in a Metropolitan.
“He’s not far away from his best but he’s on the way down.”
Brisbane Cup-bound Western Symbol heads the market with TAB Sportsbet at $2.60 ahead of stablemates Once Were Wild ($4) and Reuben Percival ($5.50).
Hawk Island was at $14 on Saturday.
