Walker hoping for a second win in race with rich history

Haynes, Hanson & Clark Stakes | 1m, 2yo | RUK

Ed Walker won last year's Haynes, Hanson & Clark with Stormy Antarctic and believes he has another ideal candidate in Ultimate Avenue.

For a mere conditions race, with no Pattern status, the Haynes, Hanson & Clark has an extraordinary tradition, with Henbit, Shergar, Rainbow Quest and Unfuwain among its earliest winners, although in recent years it has to some extent been living off that history.

Kings Theatre in 1993 and Nayef in 2000 added further lustre to the roll of honour, but a few leaner years followed until Stormy Antarctic restored its reputation as a stepping stone to the top level with two Group 1 seconds and a Group 3 win in the Craven Stakes.

Provided he is fully recovered from the cough that has ravaged Newmarket this summer, Stormy Antarctic heads to Milan next weekend in search of that so far elusive Group 1 win, and Walker hopes that Ultimate Avenue will be competing at that level one day too.

He said: "Ultimate Avenue is a really exciting prospect and he couldn't have done it much better when he won his maiden at Newbury. While he’s been having a nice break, that race has worked out really well, with plenty of winners coming out of it, and although there looks to be more depth than a year ago this seemed the sensible next step.