William Haggas has decided against running Dubai Honour against Via Sistina in the Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill, but the celebrated English trainer will still have a contender in the race with Al Mubhir.
Dubai Honour was among the nominations for Saturday’s 2000m feature but did not accept, with Haggas’ travelling foreperson Isabella Paul confirming that the longer distance of the Tancred Stakes (2400m) the following week is a more suitable option.
“We’re hoping he’ll run in the Tancred next weekend,” Paul said after accompanying Dubai Honour in a workout at Canterbury on Wednesday.
“He proved last year that he’s probably even better over a mile-and-a-half. He won the Prix de Saint-Cloud over that distance at Saint-Cloud, finished second in another Group One at Baden Baden, and later placed second in Hong Kong over the same trip.
“He’s definitely shown his strength over that distance, and the Tancred looks like an ideal race for him. We’ll see how he performs there and then make plans from there.”
While Dubai Honour won’t be competing on Golden Slipper day, stablemate Al Mubhir is set to make his Sydney debut in the Ranvet Stakes (2000m).
Al Mubhir also had a workout at Canterbury on Wednesday, and Paul reported that the gelding has settled well into his Australian routine.
Although Al Mubhir’s biggest win to date has been at Listed level, Paul believes he has the potential to step up if he brings his best form to the races.
“At home, he’s always been a horse we’ve thought very highly of, but sometimes he hasn’t shown that same level on race day,” she said.
“He’s been galloping with Dubai Honour since arriving here, and he’s been able to match him stride for stride. We’re hopeful he can translate that form to the track and deliver a strong performance on Saturday.”
Both Al Mubhir and Dubai Honour hold entries for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) next month, as does their stablemate Desert Hero.
Desert Hero, owned by His Majesty The King, lost weight during the flight from England, and plans for his campaign remain flexible. However, Paul said she has been pleased with his progress over the past week.
“He’s now relaxed and doing really well. I don’t want to rush him into a race when I believe he’ll continue to improve,” Paul said.
“He has entries for the Sydney Cup, Queen Elizabeth, Chairman’s Handicap, and JRA Plate. There are plenty of options for him later in the carnival.”
Haggas has an impressive record when bringing horses to Sydney, having won major races with stars like Addeybb and Dubai Honour, as well as last year’s Golden Eagle with Lake Forest.
Tom Marquand will ride Al Mubhir, one of six contenders aiming to challenge the star mare Via Sistina, who is expected to start as the heavy odds-on favourite.
