Hawkbill & Racing History go for Bayern glory
Hawkbill and Racing History both step up to a mile and a half for the first time in the G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern (15.00hrs local time) at Munich, Germany, on Tuesday, November 1.
Three-year-old Hawkbill (Charlie Appleby/William Buick, drawn five) has already triumphed at G1 level this season, having ran on gamely to beat The Gurkha by half a length in the 10-furlong Coral-Eclipse on soft ground at Sandown Park, UK, in July.
The Kitten’s Joy colt finished eighth in the G1 Juddmonte International Stakes over an extended mile and a quarter at York in August, and came home ninth in a strong renewal of the 10-furlong G1 QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, Ireland, on September 10.
Racing History (Saeed bin Suroor/Ioritz Mendizabal, drawn six) finished sixth on his only start so far this year in the G1 QIPCO Champion Stakes over two furlongs shorter at Ascot on October 15.
The lightly-raced four-year-old colt was fourth in the same race 12 months earlier and had subsequent G1 scorers Cannock Chase and Fascinating Rock behind him when winning the G3 Winter Hill Stakes, also over 10 furlongs, at Windsor in August, 2015.
Charlie Appleby reported: "I have been looking forward to getting Hawkbill out to a mile and a half.
"As we know, he has proven form on soft ground and this looks like a very suitable race for him."
Saeed bin Suroor said: "Racing History ran well in the Champion Stakes after a very long lay-off.
"He needed the race and has worked well since on the Limekilns. Any rain will suit but he is in good form."
The field of 10 for the Grosser Preis von Bayern also includes German G1 winners Girolamo and Iquitos, Deauville G2 scorer Savoir Vivre and G1 Investec Derby seventh Algometer.
