Haggas Quartet Primed For Aussie Targets

Four horses trained by William Haggas are in good form in advance of planned starts in Australia in the coming weeks.

Competing on Saturday are Roy and Gretchen Jackson's Lael Stables colourbearer Purplepay (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), who will run in the 1500-metre G1 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill Gardens.

“They're lovely people and this filly came to us by accident really,” said Haggas, who has already saddled three-time Australian Group 1 winner Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) Down Under. “She was bought to go to the States and then missed her flight and didn't go to the States, so they sent her to us, which is terrific.”

Joining the G2 Prix de Sandringham heroine who was also third in the G1 Criterium Internationa is Protagonist (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who will compete in the G3 Sky High S. over 2000 metres for Australian Bloodstock.

Haggas added, “Protagonist was bought privately by Australian Bloodstock after they sent us Earl Of Tyrone (Ire) (Australia {GB}). He was previously owned by Michael Buckley, owner of Constitution Hill (GB) (Blue Bresil {Fr}).

Earl Of Tyrone is bound for the Mar. 25 G1 Tancred S. or the Apr. 8 G1 Sydney Cup. Rounding out the quartet is Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) for Mohamed Obaida, who is being aimed at the G1 Ranvet S. at Rosehill on Mar. 18.

Haggas added, “We got very lucky. They all had a good trip and seem in good form. The one thing that I was concerned about was the weather and I've been right so far in that all the horses we sent want a bit of cut in the ground. It's been a very hot spell so far and the ground is quick. There's nothing I can do about the weather.

“The plan is to run Dubai Honour next week at Rosehill in the Ranvet S. and Earl of Tyrone will either go for the Tancred S. on the 25th Mar. or straight for the Sydney Cup on the 8th Apr.”

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A ‘Pretty’ Picture At The Curragh On Sunday

The Curragh's G1 Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly S. takes centre stage on Sunday and it is a strong renewal, with the G1 Prix d'Ispahan and G2 Dahlia S. winner Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) tackling several others who have pretensions at attaining that level. This is the first time that the 5-year-old will tackle a mile and a quarter, but her emphatic display over nine furlongs and 55 yards in the G1 Prix d'Ispahan at ParisLongchamp on May 29 suggests it is time to try. Trainer Ed Walker is hoping the amount of rainfall is not significant. “I don't want it to get too soft, there's a bit of rain forecast so we'll just keep an eye on it,” he said earlier this week. “She's well and in good shape. This race was always the plan, then we thought we didn't want to travel with her again and we thought we might wait for the Falmouth instead, but then we just thought it made sense to go there. She's thriving, her last two runs have been career-bests.”

 

Coco Returns

Making her seasonal bow is Team Valor's G2 Blandford S. winner La Petite Coco (Ire) (Ruler of the World {Ire}), who alongside Robert Moran's June 8 G3 Munster Oaks winner Rosscarbery (Ger) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) forms a strong two-pronged assault by Paddy Twomey. “La Petite Coco is a lovely filly and the plan has been very much to campaign her with the second half of the season in mind,” the trainer explained. “She didn't miss a beat last year and we couldn't be happier with her.” William Haggas's golden period with black-type runners continued apace on Saturday and it may be significant that he saddles both Lael Stables' June 5 G2 Prix de Sandringham winner Purplepay (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) and Sunderland Holding's My Astra (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). The latter took Ayr's Listed Rothesay S. by 12 lengths on soft ground May 18 and as a half-sister to My Prospero (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) and My Oberon (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) has the pedigree to get to this level in the immediate future.

“Purplepay is a charming filly. It is obviously her first time at the trip, but Tom [Marquand] is quite keen that she tries it,” Haggas said. “My Astra is up in class and she has only won a listed race, but she is very well and we hope she will run well.” Ballydoyle's Irish 1000 Guineas third and Oaks fourth Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) adds rich texture to a fascinating contest.

 

Statuette To The Test

If the Pretty Polly is a tantalising main course, then the six-furlong G2 Airlie Stud S. is the ideal appetiser with Ballydoyle's 'TDN Rising Star' Statuette (Justify) looking to enhance her already-significant reputation. So impressive on her debut over an extended five at Navan May 28, the daughter of Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) is taken on by Juddmonte's Zarinsk (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) whose defeat of Olivia Maralda (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), Never Ending Story (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Zoinnocent (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in a course-and-distance maiden May 22 is hot form. Also in the mix is another who has shown up well on debut over this track and trip in the May 20 Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden winner Papilio (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). The Fozzy Stack trainee's form received a boost on Saturday when the runner-up Apache Outlaw (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) was third in the Railway.

Click here for the group fields.

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Purplepay Another Winner For Zarak on Banner Day For Sire

Lael Stable's Purplepay (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) garnered a bumper pot when running away with the Haras de Bouquetot Criterium Arqana on ParisLongchamp's Arc Saturday card and closed last term under the stewardship of Cedric Rossi with a third in Saint-Cloud's Oct. 23 G1 Criterium International. Making her debut for new connections in last month's G1 Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh, having been knocked down for €2-million at last year's Arqana December sale, she finished sixth there and rebounded in style to salute in Sunday's G2 Prix de Sandringham going one mile at Chantilly. The eventual winner was swiftly into stride and found a smooth rhythm in second as Hot Queen (Fr) (Recorder {GB}) established a clear lead through halfway. Taking closer order in the straight, the crowd's 6-5 selection gained a narrow advantage on the bridle with 300 metres remaining and surged clear under a late drive to earn a career high with plenty to spare. At the line, she was 2 1/2 lengths too good for Life In Motion (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) with Sicilian Defense (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) a neck adrift in third.

“She did really well today and she's a lovely filly with a great temperament,” said Maureen Haggas. “She's got a good mind and she wants to please in everything she does. She obviously has a lot of ability and Tom [Marquand] gave her a really lovely ride. She made a nice comeback run [in the Irish 1000 Guineas] last time, she's come forward for that and we're really pleased. We're very lucky to have her and we're lucky the Jacksons bought her. She was destined for America, but there were some problems with her tests and she missed the plane, so we were the lucky recipients and we're very grateful to have her. Future plans are William's department and he'll deal with that.”

Purplepay, half-sister to the once-raced 2-year-old colt Two Fifty Two (Fr) (Cloth of Stars {Ire}), is the fourth of five foals and one of two scorers produced by a daughter of G3 Prix de Flore victrix Albisola (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), herself kin to G3 Prix Quincey-winning sire Johnny Barnes (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and G3 Prix des Reservoirs placegetter Bufera (Ire) (King's Best). The latter is the dam of Listed Prix La Sorellina winner Chartreuse (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}). Descendants of the February-foaled bay's third dam, Listed Prix Imprudence winner Mahalia (Ire) (Danehill), are headed by MG1SW sire Ectot (GB) (Hurricane Run {Ire}) and G1 St James's Palace S. victor Most Improved (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}).

Sunday, Chantilly, France
PRIX DE SANDRINGHAM-G2, €130,000, Chantilly, 6-5, 3yo, f, 8fT, 1:37.25, sf.
1–PURPLEPAY (FR), 126, f, 3, by Zarak (Fr)
1st Dam: Piedra (Ire), by Lawman (Fr)
2nd Dam: Albisola (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire)
3rd Dam: Mahalia (Ire), by Danehill
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€100,000 Ylg '20 ARQSEP; €2,000,000 HRA '21 ARQDEC). O-Lael Stable; B-Mme Lisa Lemiere Dubois (FR); T-William Haggas; J-Tom Marquand. €74,100. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Fr, 10-4-2-2, €288,405. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Life In Motion (Ire), 126, f, 3, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Wavering (Ire), by Refuse To Bend (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Andre Fabre. €28,600.
3–Sicilian Defense (GB), 126, f, 3, Muhaarar (GB)–Manasarova, by More Than Ready. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€35,000 Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Argella Racing & Gemini Stud; B-SCEA Haras de Saint Pair (GB); T-Yann Barberot. €13,650.
Margins: 2HF, NK, 3HF. Odds: 1.20, 6.40, 3.30.
Also Ran: Situveux (Ire), Indian Wish (Fr), Hot Queen (Fr), Anterselva (Fr), Pennine Hills (Ire). Scratched: Fonteyn (GB), Jouza (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Tuesday Heads Field of 14 For Sunday’s G1 Irish 1000 Guineas

Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas has attracted a final field for 14 with Godolphin's Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) the only filly not to stand her ground at Friday's declaration stage. Her absence leaves Coolmore and Westerberg's G1 1000 Guineas third Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), one of four nominees from the Aidan O'Brien stable seeking a fourth straight renewal, as the lone contender representing Newmarket's Classic form. The ante-post favourite has drawn stall three, with stablemates History (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to her immediate outer in four and five, respectively. Ballydoyle's other entry Lullaby (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has been allocated gate 13. Moyglare Stud's G3 1000 Guineas Trial victrix Homeless Songs (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) will depart from stall 11 while G1 Criterium International third Purplepay (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), who was knocked down for for €2-million at Arqana's December sale, is set to make her first start for new trainer William Haggas from stall seven.

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