China Horse Club-bred graduates Hawker Hall and Lauberhorn delivered a Saturday double across Sydney and Melbourne, with victories at Randwick and Caulfield highlighting another successful weekend for The Chase.
Hawker Hall continued his rise through the sprinting ranks with a determined first-up victory in the 1100 metre Benchmark 88 at Randwick.
Returning from a 19-week break, the Kris Lees-trained son of Russian Revolution travelled strongly for James McDonald before taking control in the straight. He established a decisive advantage before holding the late challenge of Istolea Merc to record the sixth win of his career.
Bred by China Horse Club from the I Am Invincible mare Penang, Hawker Hall was offered by The Chase at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he sold for $150,000.
Later in the afternoon, fellow CHC-bred and The Chase graduate Lauberhorn produced a strong performance to win the 1400 metre three-year-old handicap at Caulfield.
The Extreme Choice gelding settled midfield for Luke Currie before working into the race around the home turn and finishing strongly to defeat stablemate Celtics, giving trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr the quinella.
Bred by China Horse Club from the Nayef mare Brisk, Lauberhorn was sold through The Chase draft at the 2024 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $320,000, with China Horse Club retaining an interest in the gelding.
“It was very satisfying to see Hawker Hall and Lauberhorn both win on the same Saturday afternoon at the Sydney and Melbourne metropolitan meetings respectively,” CHC’s Michael Smith said. “They were bred by China Horse Club and came through The Chase, so to see them progressing and performing in good metropolitan races is a great result for everyone involved.”
“They both look progressive. Hawker Hall looks a stakes-class sprinter in waiting and Lauberhorn is so lightly raced that we don’t know what his ceiling might be yet,” Smith said. “Results like these are what we are trying to achieve with The Chase, producing quality, progressive horses that go on and perform for their connections on the racetrack.”