Hawk Wing, twice runner-up in Classics this season, finally got his turn in the limelight when comfortably winning the Stg£325,000 Coral Eurobet Eclipse Stakes at Sandown today.
Aidan O'Brien's three-year-old has had to play second fiddle to stablemates in the Sagitta 2000 Guineas and Vodafone Derby but was always travelling well within himself in this 10-furlong contest.
Sholokhov, another runner from the powerful Ballydoyle stable, cut out the running but Michael Kinane on the 8-15 favourite always had him in his sights and he quickened sweetly to put the matter beyond doubt just over a furlong from home.
Sholokhov, as he had done in the Budweiser Irish Derby, kept on for second two and a half lengths away at odds of 14-1 but Hawk Wing had come good at last. Equerry was third at 4-1.