William Haggas has concerns over the fast ground and potential rustiness ahead of Dubai Honour’s return to action in the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.
The globetrotting eight-year-old is racing for the first time since finishing fourth in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick, Australia, in April and using the Group Three prize as a springboard to another target.
“I’m frightened of the ground of course because he loathes it but it’s a flat track at Newbury and I think soft ground horses go better on flat tracks when the ground is against them. He’ll probably need it, it’s a place to start, but I’d like to get him up in trip and try him in the Irish Leger this year if it ever rains. And he needs a run before that, and I think the September Stakes is too close so this is the right race for him before he goes to Ireland,” the trainer told Friday’s Nick Luck Daily Podcast.
On the same card Extremely Zain steps up in class for the Visit Malta Hungerford Stakes.
The three-year-old suffered a first career defeat in the Moet & Chandon International Handicap at Ascot on King George day, finishing fourth behind Amazing Journey.
However Haggas feels he’s better than he showed there, adding: “I don’t think they went very fast, Tom said they went slowly and while he didn’t over-race, he was doing plenty and was too close to the action early. He would have been second I think if Saffie’s horse (the winner) hadn’t crossed over him, he had to shorten his stride. He still wouldn’t have won though and is only rated 103 and it’s a raise in class but we think he’s pretty talented and deserves to have a go at a race like this.
“It should be up his street, there looks to be a little bit of pace in the race, and if they go a good solid gallop, he can relax and finish off, and it will be very interesting. It’s a raise in grade but he’s a pretty useful horse so its time he did it.”
And on Sunday More Thunder goes for glory in the Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville.
He’s still seeking a first win of the season having been second in the Lockinge and Queen Anne before unable to land a blow in the Summer Mile at Ascot last time.
“He’s in great form and we deliberately missed Goodwood for this. We thought the straight track was ideal for him,” the trainer said. “The race is a strong Group One but not the strongest, certainly not as strong now Bow Echo isn’t there, but it’s a Group One and will take some winning.
“He’s usually quite slowly into his stride so it’s not by design that we’re behind, it’s just he takes a bit of warming up which is why at some stage we should be considering a mile-and-a-quarter which is the trip Sir Michael (Stoute) ran him over and won with him when he was three. He probably needs a good pace; he doesn’t need a French pace. A good, solid, level gallop will suit him ideally.”
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