Newmarket-based trainer William Haggas is bidding to complete another memorable double in Group 1 races in Australia.
His Dubai Honour recently made it three wins from three starts in Australia when landing the Tancred Stakes under jockey Tom Marquand.
The seven-year-old will now be aimed at the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick Racecourse – a race he previously won in 2023.
Dubai Honour also claimed victory in the Ranvet Stakes two years ago and Haggas has confirmed he will attempt to complete his second double in Australia.
“Absolutely it will be the Queen Elizabeth Stakes next,” Haggas said. “It’s unfortunate we’ve got a bit less time but he’s a seven-year-old and, providing he is okay, he will run again on Saturday week.”
Haggas previously won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes with Addeybb in 2020 and 2021, but faces a tough task to add to his tally of wins.
Chris Waller’s superstar mare Via Sistina is set to line up in the race and will be extremely tough to beat under jockey James McDonald.
Followers of horse betting tips in Australia are extremely familiar with Via Sistina, who was an impressive winner of the Ranvet Stakes on her most recent outing.
The betting experts at OnlyRacing rate Via Sistina highly and it would be no surprise to see her emerge victorious ahead of Dubai Honour.
However, the Haggas trained runner is unlikely to go down without a fight after demonstrating his ability in the Tancred Stakes. Haggas believes the form is strong.
“It was marvellous and he ran brilliantly,” he added. “It was a very competitive race with all the right horses to the fore but he was better than them on the day and he was fantastic.
“He’s remarkably consistent and that’s down to Issy Paul, who treats him like her child. She rides him every day and takes him abroad every time he runs and does a terrific job.”
Dubai Honour’s victory added to Marquand’s reputation as a jockey for a big occasion. Nicknamed ‘Aussie Tom’ by locals due to his exploits in Australia, Marquand is popular with punters there.
He was a well-backed 3.20 shot to win the Tancred and Marquand ensured that his supporters had few concerns by delivering the horse with a well-timed run.
He felt like the winner and as a jockey there’s horses that give you certain feelings,” Marquand said. “At the top of the straight, I went out rather than going back in.
“I think he’d won either way, to be honest. Issy [Paul, stable representative] does a great job every year. William and Mohamed Obaida [owner] – to be brave enough to bring them back time and time again, I’ve got the easy job, I think.”
While Dubai Honour will head to the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in excellent form, Haggas has acknowledged the treat posed by Via Sistina.
He believes the mare should be the 1.33 favourite given that her jockey repeatedly puts her in the same bracket as 2023 Cox Plate winner Romantic Warrior.
“If James is not prepared to say one is better than the other then that is as big a compliment as Via Sistina can have because Romantic Warrior is world class,” Haggas said.
“What Romantic Warrior has done is nothing short of remarkable. If you bear in mind, he has spent his entire career going right-handed then he leaves to win the Cox Plate going left-handed.
“Then he does the same thing in Japan and Dubai before he goes to Saudi Arabia and most of us think he probably should have won the Saudi Cup. That race was on dirt and no horse runs the same on dirt as they do on turf but he did.
“Romantic Warrior is a really wonderful racehorse and a very genuine one. I am fulsome in my admiration for him. But Via Sistina is fantastic – she is so reliable.
“She doesn’t win by far but she doesn’t need to. She won the Pretty Polly Stakes which is a good Group 1 race in Ireland. But from what I have seen of her in Australia, she looks to have come forward from that.”
