Hawk Wing, the Era-Defining Ballydoyle Champion, Dies

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, he captured the National Stakes (G1), the Coral Eclipse Stakes (G1) and the Lockinge Stakes (G1)

Hawk Wing Winning the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury by 11 Lengths / COOLMORE

The international racing community has lost one of the great milers of the early 2000s. Hawk Wing, the outstanding Kentucky-bred son of Woodman, has died at age 26 due to complications from colic, according to reports from Japan.

A key member of a golden Ballydoyle generation, Hawk Wing displayed immense talent from an early age. At two, he captured the National Stakes (G1) in 2001, and as a 3-year-old he finished runner-up behind two of his illustrious stablemates: Rock of Gibraltar (Danehill) in the Two Thousand Guineas (G1) and High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells) in the Epsom Derby (G1)—performances that cemented his status as one of Europe’s standout colts.

His career continued at a high level, adding a second Group 1 win with a clear-cut score in the Eclipse Stakes (G1), before finishing second in both the Irish and British versions of the Champion Stakes (G1) at Leopardstown and Ascot.

But his defining moment came at four, with an unforgettable performance in the 2003 Lockinge Stakes (G1), where he dominated from start to finish and crushed Where Or When (Danehill Dancer) by 11 lengths—one of the most devastating victories seen at Newbury in modern times.

Following that win, trainer Aidan O’Brien paid tribute to his extraordinary ability:“He has an unbelievable amount of natural talent. He’s the kind of horse who quickens your heart—and can make you say things you later have to be very careful about.”

His racing career ended abruptly after he came back lame in the Queen Anne Stakes (G1), finishing sixth—only the second time in his career that he finished outside the top two. He retired with five wins from 12 starts and more than £1 million in earnings.

At stud, Hawk Wing initially stood at Coolmore from 2004 to 2008 before relocating to South Korea. Although often viewed as a somewhat inconsistent stallion, he produced several notable performers, including high-class handicapper Hawkeyethenoo and Group 3 winners The Bogberry and Shamwari Lodge.

Bred by Hill 'N' Dale Farm in Kentucky, he was sold as a weanling for US$225,000 at the Keeneland November Saleto Curragh Bloodstock Agency, and later reappeared at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale as a yearling, where he brought US$300,000 for Par Four Racing Stable.

With his passing, racing bids farewell to a horse who—despite his ups and downs as a stallion—left behind memorable performances and a significant imprint during a pivotal transitional era for Ballydoyle. A brilliant miler with explosive talent, Hawk Wing remains a central figure in one of the most compelling chapters of modern European racing.