Gredleys' Group 2 winner on the move in Newmarket after private purchase by ambitious Bahraini team

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Ambitious Bahraini operation Victorious Forever have added the classy performer Wimbledon Hawkeye to their expanding team after a private purchase from the Gredley family, with the four-year-old also joining George Scott as part of the process.

The four-year-old son of Kameko has been a model of consistency for Scott’s Newmarket neighbour James Owen, winning the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes at two before adding a lucrative US success in the Grade 3 Nashville Derby last August, which yielded more than £887,000.

The vision behind the purchase for the new owners is for Wimbledon Hawkeye to target the Bahrain International Trophy in November, which this year has been upgraded to a Group 1 for the first time.

Wimbledon Hawkeye has looked as good as ever this season. He ran respectably behind Ombudsman in the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in May and then made a bold bid to land the Listed Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot last month, only to be run down late by Map Of Stars, a performance that earned him a career-best Racing Post Rating of 117.

Wimbledon Hawkeye will now race in the red and white silks of Victorious Forever, carried to victory by Senorita Bonita at Newmarket on FridayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Victorious Forever is a joint-venture led by brothers and members of the Bahraini royal family, Shaikh Khalid bin Hamed Al Khalifa and Shaikh Nasser bin Hamed Al Khalifa. Their racing manager Billy Jackson-Stops said: “We are delighted to have Wimbledon Hawkeye on the team and we are working back from the Bahrain International Trophy with him.

"We needed a horse to be competitive in that. We wanted to have a go and he looks to have the right profile. He’s a fast-ground horse who likes a mile and a quarter and likes going around a bend.

"He’s well rated and seems to be maintaining his form. He has few miles on the clock this year and ran very well at Royal Ascot last time. He’s been a great earner for the Gredleys and we targeted him as the right fit for the Bahrain race, which will be competitive and we’ve had to buy the best we could for it.”

George Scott: new trainer of Wimbledon HawkeyeCredit: Edward Whitaker

Scott has enjoyed success in Bahrain in recent years with the likes of triple crown winner Isle Of Jura and regularly has a base in the jurisdiction at the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club.

Jackson-Stops added: "George is a master at travelling horses, which is something he’s been working on for many years and he’s now found the right formula. It gives us a lot of confidence that we can spend a bit of money on these horses and we’re giving them to the right guy to travel them.”

Last month it was announced that the Bahrain International Trophy would be run as a Group 1 in 2026. It was won last year by the Karl Burke-trained Royal Champion, who is expected to be back to defend his crown in November.

It will not be a long moving process for Wimbledon Hawkeye, with Scott's Eve Lodge Stables located just a few doors down from Owen's base on Hamilton Road in Newmarket.

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