Dual Group 1 winner Hawkbill relocated to Darley Japan for 2020

Darley has announced that dual Group 1 winner Hawkbill will stand at their Japan base for the 2020 breeding season.

The son of leading American sire Kitten's Joy, Hawkbill stood at Darley's Newmarket base, Dalham Hall, for £7,500 this season and retired to stud as his sire's leading earner.

Purchased for $350,000 at the 2014 Keeneland Yearling Sales, the chestnut is out of a Giant's Causeway mare who has since produced the Grade 1-winning Free Drop Billy, and his further family hails from the same lines as Godolphin stars Dubai Millennium and Ribchester.

Trained by Charlie Appleby, Hawkbill won three of his five starts at two before striking in the Tercentenary Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2016. He landed his biggest career success when denying The Gurkha in a thrilling finish to the Coral-Eclipse on his next start.

Placed efforts in Group 1 company at four followed, along with wins in the Group 3 Aston Park and Group 2 Princess of Wales's Stakes, before a second top-level strike in the 2018 Dubai Sheema Classic, defeating Poet's Word and Cloth Of Stars.

Harry Sweeney, president of Darley Japan, said “Hawkbill is a big good looking and correct horse and I believe he will very much suit Japanese mares. If his progeny look like him then they certainly will be popular at the sales.”

Members can read the latest exclusive interviews, news analysis and comment available from 6pm daily on racingpost.com