lilypadracing

 

EVERYONE REMEMBERS THE HAWK

 

EVERYBODY INVOLVED WITH GREYHOUND RACING IN RECENT YEARS REMEMBERS THE UNCOMPARABLE WESTMEAD HAWK. HIS RACES AND HIS STYLE OF RUNNING MADE HIM LEGENDARY AND WILL GO DOWN AS ONE OFTHE BEST GREYHOUNDS EVER IF NOT THE BEST DERBY WINNER EVER. SO CONTINUING MY TOP 5 DERBY WINNER PROFILES ON THIS BLOG LETS EMEMBER WESTMEAD HAWK.

 

HAVING HIS FIRST DOZEN RACES IN GRADED COMPANY COULD BE SEEN AS AN UNUSUAL START FOR A CHAMPION GREYHOUND, BUT I BELIEVE THAT IN THIS CASE IT WAS THIS THAT MADE WESTMEAD HAWK THE DOG HE BECAME. AT THIS POINT THE DOG LEARNED HOW TO COME THROUGH A FIELD AGAINST DOGS THAT HE WAS UNQUESTIONABLY FASTER THAN AND THAT MADE IT ACHIEVEABLE WHEN HE RAN IN THE TOP CLASS. THE FOLLOWING YEAR (05) SAW HIM BREAK ON TO THE OPEN RACE SCENE AND WIN OVER FOUR AND SIX BENDS, HE SATYED WELL AND  REMEMBER HE HOLDS THE TRACK RECORD FOR 630M AT MONMORE. IT WAS A STRANGE BUT VERY CLEVER SCHOOLING AND IT WAS  FROM THAT BACKGROUND HE HEADED TO WIMBLEDON AND WON HIS FIRST DERBY BEATING BLONDE MAC ON FINAL NIGHT IN 28.56.

 

HE THEN WENT TO SHELBOURNES EQUIVILENT AND MADE THE FINAL ONLY TO BE BEATEN IN TO 5TH BEHIND HE SAID SO. IT WAS AT THAT POINT THAT THEIRISH PEOPLE AND THE IRISH BREEDERS GOT THEIR FIRST LOOK AT HIM AND FULLY APPRECIATED WHAT THEY'D SEEN.AMAZINGLY HE TURNED UP NEXT IN THE PRODUCE STAKES WHICH WAS SOMEWHAT OF A FORMALITY AND HE WON THAT AT HALL GREEN IN 28.44. FROM THERE HE WENT TO SHAWFIELD FOR THE SCOTTISH DERBY BUTWAS BEATEN INTO RUNNER UP BY FEAR ME.

 

HE CAME TO WIMBLEDON IN 2006 AS THE FAVOURITE AND AS THE PEOPLES CHAMPION. AS ALWAYS HE NEVER LET THEM DOWN WINNING THE FINAL IN INCREDIBLE FASHOIN WHEN PICKING UP MINEOLA FARLOE CLOSE HOME IN 28.44. THE WHOLE COUNTRY REJOICED.

 

WESTMEAD HAWK WON THE 2005 & 2006 PRODUCE STAKES AND ENGLISH DERBYS, WAS RUNNER UP IN THE 2006 SCOTTISH DERBY AND THE MADE THE FINAL OF THE 2005 IRISH DERBY. HE IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE A DERBY LEGEND!!