Showing his appreciation for the sting out of the track, the 3yo Snitzel colt Mr Mozart would not be denied in Monday’s Group III ACY Securities Doncaster Prelude (1500m) at Newcastle.
Ridden by Willie Pike for Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes, Mr Mozart kept up a strong gallop to defeat the 4yo Sebring gelding Our Playboy by a length with the Frankel’s son Dajraan a further one and three-quarter lengths back in third.
The flashy chestnut advances his record to four wins and a second from 11 starts with earnings of $420,800.
“He’s going really well. It was just another well-judged ride by Willie,” Michael Hawkes said.
“Our intention was to ride him a bit like last start. But I think when he took his time and the other horse led, he travelled well, he just came around the corner and let him balance up and probably got to the better part of the going.
“The part I love the most with this horse is he just fights. When the other horse came at him, he dug deep.
“He got through the ground well and geez I love this track. I think it was the best move they ever made, Racing NSW, to get this track for today for the races.”
He is not (nominated for the Doncaster). We will see how we go. Obviously, it’s a big step taking on the older horses. His last start in the Phar Lap (Stakes) was fantastic, he had a couple of blunders in Melbourne, but he loves to get out and race this horse.”
“Whether we step him out (in distance) or whether we drop him back, it depends how the horse pulls up but there are a couple of options going forward. That’s what we do best, we will just place him in the right race and see how he pulls up.”
A homebred for the group that raced his dam, Mr Mozart is the first foal of Euro Angel.
A daughter of Rip Van Winkle, Euro Angel was trained by Team Hawkes to win the Group III MRC Ladies Day Vase and split In Her Time and Daysee Doom in the Group II Millie Fox Stakes at Rosehill.
Bred by Windsor Park Stud, Euro Angel was the third yearling purchase by Team Hawkes out of the imported Polish Precedent mare Polish Princess (GB). The first was the talented Polish Knight (Encosta de Lago), a $420,000 buy that won the Group II ATC Tulloch Stakes and was runner-up in the Group 1 ATC Derby.
The second was the tough-as-teak Zabeel gelding Leebaz a four-time Group winning millionaire purchased for $460,000 at the 2011 NZ Bloodstock Premier Yearling sale.
A $200,000 purchase at the 2014 NZB Premier Yearling sale, Euro Angel is the fifth foal of Polish Princess, purchased by Windsor Park for 75,000 guineas out of the Meon Valley Stud draft at the 2004 Tattersalls October Yearling sale.
Euro Angel has a 2yo sister to Mr Mozart named Angel Flight who is also in the Hawkes stable.
After missing in 2019, Euro Angel foaled a Pierro last spring colt and was covered by Snitzel.
