From champion mare More Joyous, More Sundays was a short priced favourite to
win the 1200 metre dash at his first run back from a spell and he did loom up
in the straight before fading, but the erratic Hawkshot had him well and truly covered.Trained by Darren Weir, Hawkshot won his debut last March at Ballarat, but has had a history of over-racing and doing himself no favours in subsequent starts.
Gelded late last year, he has been fourth and second in two runs since, before finally putting it altogether for this fast finishing long neck win under 60kg despite showing his old bad habits for much of the race.
"I was doing a lot of apologising, I was running people off the track," said winning rider Mark Zahra.
"I think I ran three horses off down the bottom trying to get room and then apologised back to where I was.
"When he finally switched off it's time to go but he had a good turn of foot, he won comfortably in the end.
"All the emphasis now needs to be on getting him to relax and if you can get that right he can definitely go up in grade.
"Even before the race we just wanted his manners to be good no matter where he ran.
"So you have to come out dead quiet on him but the problem is they just crossed and just walked and then the minute you have to grab him back he's just not having any of it.
"In his defence they walked but he just makes life tough. To finish off, having done all that is the sign of a good horse, we just have to get the first part right."
Bred and retained to race by Sun Stud, Hawkshot is the first winner for Rosa Perlato, an Encosta de Lago grand-daughter of Group I winner Shindig from the family of Group I winner Shinzig.
Rosa Perlato has a two year old colt also by Fiorente and has a yearling filly by another of the young Sun Stud sires in Ready for Victory that will be offered in the Sun Stud draft at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale as Lot 724.
Rosa Perlato was covered by exciting young Sun Stud sire Thronum last spring.
