Worldly gelding Dubai Honour is tasked with defeating two elite Australian mares for back-to-back Queen Elizabeth Stakes wins, prompting trainer William Haggas to deploy a successful past method.

Exactly like his handling of Addeybb prior to the 2021 weight-for-age classic, Haggas has added blinkers to Dubai Honour aiming for the crucial sharpness.

“The boss has talked about doing it before and I’ve always felt the horse doesn’t need them because he tries really hard,” Haggas’ travelling foreperson, Isabella Paul said.

“But it’s one of those things. He’s older, he stays, and we need him to be sharp throughout.

“It worked with Addeybb when we did it for his second Queen Elizabeth and we’re hoping it works with him.”

Dubai Honour displayed grit by leading unusually in the Tancred Stakes (2400m) recently, powering on up the straight until reeled in late by Aeliana, who with star mare Autumn Glow heads the opposition at Randwick Saturday.

Strong contenders notwithstanding, the experienced eight-year-old took out the 2023 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) over Anamoe and filled second behind Via Sistina last year with real fight.

“They’re two phenomenal fillies, but we can’t swerve these races because of what’s running,” Paul said.

“We’ve flown halfway across the world.

“It makes it exciting. We bumped into Via Sistina last year and Anamoe three years ago, so hopefully we can go out in front.”

Paul will additionally prepare Caviar Heights for Haggas in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m), the gelding having posted second in the Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) during Tancred festivities.

He faces a stern test but Paul is focused on a prompt break to position him prominently.

“He tends to run from the front, but he broke a little bit slow and got shuffled back, which wasn’t ideal,” she said of his last start.

“I’m not sure he could have beaten the winner, but it was probably his undoing.”

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