Haggas raises Australian satellite yard idea, as Dubai Honour wins again

Newmarket trainer could link up with Andrew Balding.

William Haggas said he was “pretty keen” to set up a base in Australia after watching Dubai Honour blitz the field to provide him with a third win in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick in the past four years.

Haggas was unable to be on course for either of Addeybb’s victories in one of Australia’s premier 10-furlong races due to the Covid pandemic, so he was keen to be there to watch Dubai Honour – especially after the gelding had won the Ranvet Stakes so impressively prior to it.

With Tom Marquand back in the saddle having returned from injury, Haggas will have been content throughout as he watched his jockey track Godolphin’s prolific Group One winner Anamoe into the straight.

And when Marquand got Dubai Honour into the clear the race was over, as he quickened up impressively to win by two and a half lengths. Anamoe was caught on the line for second by Mo’unga.

Reports in Australia during the week said Haggas has looked into setting up a satellite yard with Andrew Balding, and results like this will only make that more of a possibility.

“He’s very keen and I’m pretty keen so we’ll see what happens,” Haggas told www.skyracingworld.com.

Regarding his winner Haggas said: “Anamoe is a great horse, take nothing away from him.

“But this horse has come forward for being here and he’s won well today.

“Don’t underestimate him. He’s a pretty good horse and he was never quite right last year and he was boxing against some good horses – top, top horses.”

Marquand said: “For the boss to target the Queen Elizabeth with another horse and pull it off, it’s just insane.

“Genuinely, I’ve jumped aboard this horse on the right day at the right time and it’s everyone else behind it that got the job done. All I had to do was point and shoot.”

The winner is now set to head to Hong Kong before heading back to Newmarket.

Follow us on Twitter racing365dotcom and like our Facebook page.

Latest