Polish Knight Makes Australian Derby Claim

Well-bred three-year-old Polish Knight (NZ) turned in a big performance at Rosehill on Saturday in one of the main Derby lead-up races, the A$175,000 Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m).

Trained by Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes, Polish Knight (Encosta de Lago x Polish Princess) raced near the tail of the field for jockey Brenton Avdulla before looming up to the leaders 200 metres from home and racing away to win by three-quarters-of-a-length.

Following the winning performance co-trainer Wayne Hawkes said that the stable has always had a big opinion of Polish Knight.

"He is a serious horse and is certainly going somewhere. As I said to one of the owners this morning, he should have won his last three."

The three-year-old had just four starts coming into Saturday's Group 2 race, breaking his maiden at his second start at Ballarat by six lengths. Connections will now have to decide whether to back up the son of Encosta de Lago in the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) this weekend.

Bred and sold by Windsor Park Stud, Polish Knight was purchased by Hawkes Racing from New Zealand Bloodstock's 2010 Karaka Premier Sale for $420,000. Hawkes Racing also purchased his half-brother by Zabeel from the 2011 Karaka Premier Sale for $460,000.

Raced by Mr D V Russo, G P I Racing, Mr H J Mackley, Mr L Koudsy, Mr R L Milne, Mr R M O'reilly, Mr R S Collins, Mr M B Jamieson and Windsor Park Stud Ltd, Polish Knight has now won just shy of A$120,000 and is the 89th stakes winner for his sire Encosta de Lago.