NOW A SPARROW

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 176, 15 October 1927, Page 6

NOW A SPARROW

THE HAWK HAS SLIPPED CLOSE OF BRILLIANT RECORD Under the headings “Now a Sparrow,” “The Hawk Slips Back,” a Sydney writer wrote: —“The Hawk of today is not nearly as good as was The Hawk of a few seasons ago. He has slipped back badly. At Hawkesbury The ITawk was a runner in the Rowley Mile, which brought out a field of mod-

erate suburban performers. Handicapped at 9.7, The Hawk would have been a certainty for the race had he been a shadow of his former self. Pie was fancied by his stable followers, as the old chap had done fairly well on the tracks. “One of the first to be seen backing the New Zealander was Mr. Uric Connolly, who took a few wagers amounting to several hundreds. At barrier rise The Haw-c was one of the quickest to begin. Pike steadied him in order to allow some of the others to make the pace, so as to conserve The Hawk’s energy. But before five of the eight furlongs had been covered it was seen that the Martian gelding was ‘not in the race.’ He tired and dropped back, finishing in the ruck. “The will to do was there, but not the power. After the race, Pike said that The Hawk was fairly pulling him out of the saddle in the first two furlongs, and he was delighted to find that his old favourite still had plenty of pace. But after that the gelding was done. Will The Hawk ever come back? He war one of the greatest milers of recent years, and his has been a brilliant career. He is now nine years old, and in all has raced in about 84 events. Pie has won 26£ races, has been second 10 times and third 11 times. A few weeks ago Jack Cameron, owner-trainer of The Plawk, had an idea of taking The .Hawk to Melbourne to compete in the October Stakes at Flemington, but now it would be useless to make the trip if Hawkesbury form is to be relied upon.”