Addeybb on course for Champion Stakes

Haggas star ready to try again at Ascot.

William Haggas is looking forward to another attempt at the Qipco Champion Stakes with last year’s runner-up Addeybb.

The six-year-old landed two Grade Ones in Australia in the spring and, on his return, finished second to Lord North in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

After a 94-day break, Haggas sent him to Ayr for a Listed race in which he gave 7lb and a three-quarter length beating to a previous Queen Anne winner in Lord Glitters.

“I was really happy, because I thought it was quite a tough race,” said Haggas.

“Usually if you run a Group One horse in a Listed race you frighten everything away – but maybe because there’d been no decent ground, it persuaded people to run.

“They didn’t go very fast, and he looked in trouble – to my eye anyway – two out, but he picked up real good.

“That will have done him a lot of good, and he’ll go off to Ascot with a chance. It will be tough – but it’s the Champion Stakes, (so) it should be. He’s entitled to go, and he’ll be a sporting bet.”

Haggas believes the application of cheek-pieces has helped to bring out the very best in Addeybb.

He added: “His record since we put cheek-pieces on – which aren’t because he’s ungenuine, but they just help him – is outstanding (never out of first two in eight runs).

“He’s not a flash horse, which is why he might be (a bigger price). He is what he is – that is what everyone thinks, they all look for the younger ones, the Mishriffs of this world.

“Mishriff is a very good horse, but he’ll need to be on his A game.

“Then there’s Magical (last year’s winner), but I’m hoping she might run in the Arc first. Given they’ve [owners Coolmore] got Love and Mogul, though, she might not, I suppose.”

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William Haggas Ascot Champions Day

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