Big Race History: Lockinge Stakes

General / Malcolm Pannett / 12 May 2009 / Leave a Comment

Anyone who witnessed Hawk Wing's blitz up Newbury's straight mile in the pouring rain in 2003 will be aware that the Lockinge is capable of representing all that is great about the sport of horseracing, writes Malcolm Pannett.

Aidan O'Brien's son of Woodman had won the Eclipse but overall he had been a little frustrating finishing second in the 2000 Guineas, Derby, Irish Champion Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

But this was his day, as the clouds burst he accelerated from the stalls setting a stiff pace. Two furlongs from home he extended and the relentless gallop he produced, and which he upheld all the way to the line, completely routed his rivals. The advantage over his Ascot conqueror Where Or When was 11 lengths with a further eight back to the remainder.

The Lockinge itself dates back to 1958 when the first winner was Pall Mall owned by the Queen who was sent off 4-6 favourite on the back of his 2000 Guineas success. Pall Mall followed up the next year at even shorter odds to become the first dual winner. Only Welsh Pageant (1970 and 1971) and Soviet Line (1995 and 1996) have repeated the feat.

Notable winners include Brigadier Gerard (1972) who emulated his sire Queen's Hussar who won in 1963; Kris (1980) who won 14 of his 16 races; First Island (1997) the Lockinge was the swansong for the winner of the Sussex Stakes and Hong Kong International Cup; and Rakti (2005) the massive multiple winner in Italy who landed the 2003 Champion Stakes.

In 1978 market-leader Jellaby looked set for success when he stumbled and dislodged pilot Brian Taylor in the last half furlong leaving the way clear for the Bill Elsey-trained Don to record a lucky win.

Presumably named after the village near Wantage to the north of Newbury the Lockinge was originally the first chance for the Classic generation to take on older horses. Prismatic (1985) was the last three-year-old to win as, after a blank decade for the younger horses, the conditions were changed in 1995. The race is now confined to four-year-olds and above and has been upgraded from Group 2 to Group 1 status.

There was no race in 1975 - the year of the Stable Lads' Strike.

25 years ago - Two winners for the price of one as Waasl and Cormorant Wood shared the spoils. Favourite Trojan Fen, the only three-year-old in the field, counted himself out by unseating his rider as they emerged from the stalls leaving the previous season's Irish 2000 Guineas-winner Waasl to lead the field. Seasonal-debutant Cormorant Wood, who had won the Champion Stakes the year before, took it up inside the final furlong but Waasl rallied close home to force a dead-heat with three lengths back to third placed Welsh Idol. Cormorant Wood went on to win the Benson & Hedges Gold Cup beating Dahlia and Chief Singer but in doing so sustained a tendon injury and was retired to stud.

10 years ago - A win for Godolphin with second string Fly To The Stars at 9-1. Willie Supple made all on the son of Bluebird beating French-raider Jim And Tonic by a length and a half with Almushtarak third. Godolphin's other runner Intikhab, who had won the previous season's Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot but had been off with splint problems since, was sent off 4-7 favourite but after challenging at the furlong pole weakened quickly and was later found to have sustained a further injury this time to the pelvis.

Five years ago - Russian Rhythm made it seven wins from ten outings when swooping late to beat Salselon and Norse Dancer by half a length and a neck. Sir Michael Stoute's daughter of Kingmambo, who had already collected the previous season's 1000 Guineas, Coronation Stakes and Naussau Stakes, showed her trademark bravery exploiting to the full the runner-up's slight lapse in concentration in the final 100 yards.

Last Year - Godolphin again as Irish and French 2000 Guineas runner-up Creachadoir opened his Group 1 account. The 3-1 favourite, who had been trained by Jim Bolger in his early days, took up the pace from Rob Roy at the two marker holding the previously-unbeaten Phoenix Tower and Tariq by three parts and a neck.