Punters lose out as Hawk Wing fails to fly

Hawk Wing, trained by Aidan O?Brien, was beaten into a lowly seventh position as Dubai Destination, ridden by Frankie Dettori, impressed with a stunning four-length success in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.

Hawk Wing has been hailed as a world-beater after a brilliant success at Newbury last time out and punters made the colt favourite at 8-13 but jockey Mick Kinane was sending out distress signals some way from home and Hawk Wing trailed in.

Off the course all last year with injury, Dubai Destination, second favourite at 9-2, took control two furlongs (400 metres) from home and held on readily from Tillerman (16-1).

Third place went to 20-1 shot Right Approach, owned by Britain?s Queen Elizabeth who earlier launched the five-day meeting, heading the traditional drive down the course in open carriages.

A disappointed O?Brien said: 'He obviously wasn?t a shadow of the horse on that day. He didn?t run within stones of his form today.'

Dubai Destination?s victory signalled the end of a quiet spell for the powerful Godolphin operation, brainchild of Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai.

The Godolphin juveniles and three-year-olds have yet to sparkle this season but four-year-old Dubai Destination delighted connections, prompting racing manager Simon Crisford to remark: 'Don?t write us off yet.'

Dubai Destination was a top-ranked juvenile who beat Rock of Gibraltar two seasons ago before the 'Rock', half-owned by Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, went on to multiple Group One success in 2002.

Sheikh Mohammed said of his winner: 'We have had all sorts of problems with him and it has been very much a question of giving him plenty of time.'