The Owen Burrows trained Hukum is said to be on track for his trip to Dubai for the Grade One Dubai Sheema Classic, with the five year old looking to land the first Grade One of his career.
A Sea The Stars colt for Shadwell Estate Company LTD, Hukum was very lightly raced as a two year old before bursting onto the scene with an impressive performance to win the King George V at Royal Ascot.
He took Group Three honours at Newbury after that and looked a more than capable 12 furlong horse.
Moved up in trip for the St Leger, he was very well backed in the market but couldn’t go with the principles and finished a respectable fifth place.
Experimenting with distance saw him well beaten over 10 furlongs at Sandown on reappearance last term behind Waldkonig but he bounced back to form with a Listed win over a mile and half at Goodwood.
Since a strong performance in the Hardwicke Stakes, he’s notched up two impressive wins. Taking a Group Three over 14 furlongs at York before backing that up under a penalty in Group Three company when last seen at Newbury.
Heading onto the all weather for his penultimate start he was a heavy favourite to land the Group Three September Stakes but was beaten by a neck close home by the fast improving Hamish.
Hukum put all this right when last seen at Ascot in the Group Three Cumberland Lodge Stakes, seeing off a good field by close to seven lengths.
Stunning performance! Hukum pulverises the field to win the Group 3 Cumberland Lodge for @JimCrowley1978 an @ojburrows74 at @Ascot… pic.twitter.com/tf9DVTluur
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 2, 2021
Now looking to step things up this season, Burrows has given him the early season target of the Group One Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan and he is said to be all systems go for it.
(Credit ATR) “The plan is to take him out to Dubai for the Sheema Classic and we are considering taking him out for Super Saturday as well,” said Burrows.“
We might have a run on March 5 and he’ll possibly stay then for the three weeks before – nothing is finalised, but the Sheema is definitely on the cards.
“He’s doing some good work now and we’re very happy with him.“
He’s in a good spot and Jim (Crowley) rang me to say he’s going to come to have a sit on him one day next week.
“Super Saturday is certainly under consideration, I wouldn’t commit to it 100 per cent just yet but let’s just get through a few more weeks and see where we are with him.“
He’s an absolute star for us, he’s so consistent.
“By the end (of last season) he’d won three Group Threes and a Listed race, hopefully he can improve a little bit more as he finished the year on 116.“
He might need to find a few pounds, but I don’t think it’s beyond him.”
