Sires' Produce Target for Hilal

Successful on debut before a solid second in the Gr2 Skyline Stakes behind O'President (Fastnet Rock), Hawkes Racing's Hilal (Fastnet Rock-Salma, by Redoute's Choice) then finished just under two lengths behind Shaquero (Shalaa) in the Gr2 Pago Pago Stakes when finishing seventh. One of a host of quality nominations for the Gr1 Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick, the colt should relish the step up in trip based on his efforts to date. "He is going good and the Sires' looks like the right race for him, it's right up his alley," Hawkes told racenet.com.au. "We can't fault him at the moment. He was ready for the 1400m (after the Pago Pago) when he drew a wide barrier and had to go back." The hardest to beat looks to be the James Cummings-trained Anamoe (Street Boss-Anamato, by Redoute's Choice), who produced the run of the race in the Gr1 Golden Slipper coming from near enough to the tail of the field to finish just under two lengths from Stay Inside (Extreme Choice). A half-brother to the South African Listed winner Trojan Harbour (Harbour Watch), the colt is a grandson of Group 3 winner Salameh (Secret Savings), herself a half-sister to Gr1 Australian Guineas winner and Group 1 sire Al Maher (Danehill) from the family of leading stallions Redoute's Choice, Hurricane Sky, Umatilla and Manhattan Rain.