Home-bred Hilal wins the Group 2 Stan Fox

Emirates Park homebred 3-year-old Hilal broke through for his maiden Pattern Race victory when showing great fight and determination to claim the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) at Randwick in Sydney.

Ridden at the tail of the seven horse field by Tommy Berry, Hilal produced a sustained finishing burst the length of the Randwick straight to claim the early leaders and then fight off the game late challenge of Coastwatch to score by half-a-length.

The valuable Group 2 victory adds significantly to an already distinguished race record which also features a brace of Group 1 placings as a juvenile — namely, 2nd ATC Sires’ Produce (1400m) and 2nd ATC Champagne Stakes (1600m).  Victory also took his earnings through the half-million dollar mark.

Speaking after the win,  co-trainer John Hawkes remarked: “Hilal’s always been a promising colt. We’ll see how he pulls up before … we will have a look and see what is coming up that might suit the colt.”

Winning rider Tommy Berry was also impressed with Hilal's first win in Group company. “He's always had that ability”, began Berry. “I knew he would come here and run well … That was what we wanted to see from him today.”

Hilal’s Stan Fox Stakes success added further credence to his outstanding pedigree page which is littered with some of the most prominent names in Emirates Park's proud breeding history. His dam Salma is a half-sister to Danewin's Listed Race winner Big Time and a daughter of Salameh, winner of Group 3 AJC Fernhill Stakes for His Excellency Nasser Lootah. This is also the immediate family of the stud’s great stalwart Al Maher, as well as the phenomenal Australian Stud Book influence Redoute’s Choice.