The Hawk (horse)

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The Hawk

Sire	Martian
Dam	Sparrow Hawk
Damsire	Land League
Sex	Gelding
Foaled	1918
Country	New Zealand
Colour	Brown
Owner	J.M. Cameron
Trainer	J.M. Cameron
Record	136: 31-18-20
Earnings	$48,520
Major Racing Wins, Awards and Honours
Major Racing Wins
Hawke's Bay Guineas (1921) Islington Stakes (1923) Hill Stakes (1923, 1925) St George Stakes (1924, 1925) Futurity Stakes (1923) Essendon Stakes (1923, 1924) C M Lloyd Stakes (1923, 1924) Caulfield Stakes (1924) Challenge Stakes (1925) All Aged Stakes (1925) Taranaki Stakes (1927, 1928)
Infobox last updated on: October 30, 2007.

The Hawk (foaled 1918) was a remarkable brown gelding New Zealand bred Thoroughbred racehorse by Martian out of Sparrow Hawk. He had 136 race starts, winning top quality races in both New Zealand and Australia, and set Australasian records for 6 and 8 furlongs. In an exceptional career he won his last race as a rising 13 year old.

The Hawk was purchased as a yearling for 350 guineas by W.J. Douglas and, on his death in 1922, was sold to New Zealand trainer J.M. Cameron for 700 guineas. He won six of his ten races as a two year old and broke the Australasian record for six furlongs as a three year old in winning the Waterloo Stakes.

As a five year old The Hawk had his first season racing in Australia where his wins included the Hill Stakes, St George Stakes, Futurity Stakes, Essendon Stakes and C M Lloyd Stakes. At aged six he continued his Australian campaign winning the Caulfield Stakes, Challenge Stakes, St George Stakes, Essendon Stakes, Rawson Stakes and All Aged Stakes.

In the autumn of 1925 he returned to New Zealand to meet the great old champion Gloaming (then rising ten years old) in a match race in the Hawke's Bay J.D. Ormond Memorial Gold Cup at Hastings. The event attracted many thousands of spectators to the Hastings Racecourse where, in the run to the line, Gloaming lengthened his stride to pass The Hawk and win by a length in record time.

The Hawk continued racing in New Zealand until the age of 13. His wins during his later years included the 1927 WRC Metropolitan Handicap, the 1927 and 1928 Taranaki Stakes, and the 1930 Taranaki Cup when aged 11. At age 12 he won his thirty-first, and last race in the Dannevirke Cup.