Trained by William Haggas, the globetrotting Dubai Honour pays a third visit to Hong Kong and will look to improve on his performance from 12 months ago, where he was a low-odds third behind the re-opposing, three-peat seeking Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and Prognosis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the richest of the afternoon's events, the HK$28 million (£2.84 million/€3.29 million) G1 FWD QE II Cup. Also among the invitees is recent BMW Hong Kong Derby winner Massive Sovereign (Ire) (No Nay Never).

Whereas Dubai Honour was set for a strenuous two-race Australian Group 1 prep last term, he enters this year's contest a much fresher horse, having won Kempton's Listed Magnolia S. by a smooth three-length margin Apr. 1. Dubai Honour was also a respectable fourth in the 2022 G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup over the QE II Cup course and distance.

The G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize lost some of its lustre when the world's top-rated sprinter Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) was ruled out via injury, and it will be left to last-out G1 Al Quoz Sprint victor California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) to fly the Bauhinia flag. Victor the Winner (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}) is also set to make an appearance, having set the pace before finishing a brave third to Mad Cool in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo Mar. 23. Trainer George Boughey is set to be represented by his first Hong Kong runner in the 4-year-old filly Believing (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), a dual listed winner in England and victorious in the G3 Prix Texanita at Chantilly in 2023.

Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) will try to win the G1 FWD Champions Mile for a record fourth time in what could be his final career appearance. The 8-year-old, a three-time Horse of the Year, will have the services of Vincent Ho as they look for an 11th Group 1 success together. Hong Kong Derby runner-up Galaxy Patch (Aus) (Wandjina {Aus}) drops back to the 1600 metres in a race that has also attracted All-Star Mile winner Obamburumai (Jpn) (Discreet Cat), beaten under three lengths in last weekend's G1 Doncaster Mile H. at Randwick, and Middle Park Racing LX's Brave Emperor (Ire) (Sioux Nation), a stakes winner in no fewer than five different jurisdictions for trainer Archie Watson, including the Listed Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup in Qatar Feb. 17.

“FWD Champions Day is one of the most prestigious meetings on the international racing stage and we are delighted to have such a strong group of world-class horses heading to Sha Tin for our spring flagship meeting,” said Andrew Harding, executive director, racing, for the Hong Kong Jockey Club. “With eight visitors from Japan and three from Great Britain, the might of Hong Kong's team will be tested in all three feature races.”

Selected runners…

FWD QEII Cup
FWD Champions Mile
Chairman's Sprint Prize

Sha Tin, 28 Apr | #FWDChampionsDay | #競馬 pic.twitter.com/cSTBZruRej

— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 10, 2024

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In the G1 Ranvet S., six of the seven runners were bred in either Britain, Ireland or France, and they include two seven-figure purchases made by Yulong Investments last December. 

Group 1-winning mares Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who was bought for 2.7 million gns at Tattersalls, and Place Du Carrousel (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), a €4.025 million Arqana purchase, are now trained respectively by Chris Waller and Anthony and Sam Freedman. They are set to go head to head in the 2,000-metre contest which also features Buckaroo (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), a former dual Listed winner in Ireland, French Listed winner Bois d'Argent (GB) (Toronado {Ire}), Military Mission (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), and Zeyrek (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Nine of the last 12 runnings of the race have been won by a horse bred in Europe.

Waller, who saddles both Via Sistina and Buckaroo for the A$1 million race, told Australia's Sky Racing World that he has been following the example set by his British counterpart William Haggas, who has twice won the Ranvet, with Addeybb (Ire) and Dubai Honour (Ire).

He said of Via Sistina, the winner of the G1 Pretty Polly S. and runner-up to King Of Steel in the G1 Champion S. for George Boughey  last year, “We prepared her in Newmarket, I kept a close eye on what Mr Haggas has done with a few of his horses which have beaten Verry Elleegant a number of times. He just gets it right every year. Firstly he brings the right horse. Secondly he prepares them well and thirdly they cope with the trip. So she looks like she's that type of horse.”

Waller added, “She's thrived the last two weeks. She's just going on the right path forward and I've been impressed with her.”

Some familiar names also make the cut for Saturday's 19-strong G1 George Ryder S.

The 2022 Irish 2,000 Guineas runner-up New Energy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), whose move from Sheila Lavery to Ciaron Maher last year was not without controversy, makes his second start for Maher after finishing second in the G3 Liverpool City Cup at Randwick on his Australian debut.

He is set to face the former John and Thady Gosden trainee Mighty Ulysses (GB), the winner of last season's G3 Sovereign S. at Salisbury who is now trained by Annabel Neasham. The Irish Listed winner Cosmic Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who changed hands for 100,000gns at Tattersalls last October, is also in the line-up along with Cepheus (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Unspoken (Ire) (Territories {Ire}).

The G3 N E Manion Cup, run over 2,400 metres, is another race in which the European imports have dominated over the last decade. Haggas won the race with Young Rascal (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) in 2020 and this year fields Post Impressionist (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who is now owned by Lloyd Williams.

“He's a nice horse and I think he's done enough to run to his best,” said Haggas on Wednesday. “Bit of a wide draw but he's a good stayer. He just hits a bit of a flat spot but maybe first time out he'll be fresh enough not to do that. It's quite a competitive race but if he has any aspirations to win a better class of race then he needs to be running well on Saturday.

“The Manion Cup followed by the Sydney Cup has always been the plan. Let's just hope he's good enough. He'd have 50kg in the Sydney Cup so Tom [Marquand] wouldn't be able to ride him but let's just worry about one race first, and that's Saturday. It's a pretty inconvenient time for a Newmarket trainer because I think the race is off at ten to two in the morning but that's the way it is. We'll look forward to it.”

Post Impressionist is up against last year's Listed Feilden S. winner Canberra Legend (Ire) (Australia {GB}), who is another to have joined the Waller stable. 

Another expensive Yulong acquisition to now be under the care of Sydney's champion trainer is Gan Teorainn (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), who is an interesting entrant for the G3 Epona S. Bought from Boherguy Stud for 1 million gns in 2022 after finishing runner-up to Blue Rose Cen (Ire) in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac, she subsequently finished third in the G3 Lexus Archer S. at Flemington last November. 

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The six-year-old, who is trained in Newmarket by William Haggas for owner Mohamed Obaida, had been set to defend his crown this spring but will be prepared instead for Hong Kong's G1 QEII Cup, in which he finished third last year.

“We are disappointed to announce that Dubai Honour has had a setback and is unable to travel to Australia for the upcoming Carnival in Sydney,” said Haggas on Friday morning. “It is particularly frustrating as we felt he was in the form of his life. We hope to be able to prepare him for another tilt at the QEII in Hong Kong on 28 April with a run beforehand, more than likely in Magnolia Stakes at Kempton on 1 April.”

In recent years the Haggas stable has reaped rich rewards in targeting the Sydney programme during the Australian autumn. 

Along with the dual Group 1 strike for Dubai Honour last year, Protagonist (Fr) won the G3 Sky High S. In 2020, Addeybb (Ire) completed that same Group 1 double as Dubai Honour and returned the following year to go close to repeating that feat, beating Verry Elleegant (NZ) to win the Queen Elizabeth II S. after finishing second to that top mare in the Ranvet. Haggas also landed the G3 NE Manion Cup in 2020 and 2021 with Young Rascal (Fr) and Favorite Moon (Ger).

This year the trainer will be represented by two runners in Sydney, with Shadwell's G2 Huxley S. runner-up Mujtaba (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) set to travel to Australia along with the Old Borough Cup winner Post Impressionist (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}).

The trainer added, “We will be represented by Mujtaba who will be aimed at the Ranvet and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, although he does have the option of the Tancred Stakes. He is training well and due to enter quarantine today along with Post Impressionist, a useful stayer who will be aimed at the Manion Cup and the Sydney Cup. Once again Isabella Paul will be in charge.”

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The filly is now registered on the British Horseracing Authority's website as being owned by Mr Yuesheng Zhang of Yulong Investments. The same owner also bought multiple Group 1 winner Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) for 5.4 million gns at the previous year's December Mares Sale. 

Relief Rally is rated 107 after a season in which she was defeated only once in her five starts, and then only by a nose when second in the G2 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot. Racing last year for the partnership of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, she won her first two races in April and May, and following Royal Ascot she headed to Newbury for victory in the Weatherbys Super Sprint. Relief Rally's final win of the year in the Lowther at York's Ebor meeting was the third success in that race for Haggas, who also won the G2 Gimcrack S. a day later with Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy's Lake Forest (GB) (No Nay Never).

“I am delighted at how well she's done over the winter. There isn't a great deal of her but she has definitely strengthened a lot,” Haggas told TDN on Tuesday. “I suspect she will stay sprinting. She has a very good turn of foot.”

While Relief Rally's programme for this year is yet to de decided, the trainer noted that the Commonwealth Cup at the royal meeting is “the obvious race”.  In its nine runnings to date, the Group 1 sprint for three-year-olds has twice been won by a filly – Quiet Reflection (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) in 2016 and Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in 2021. 

Haggas added, “She started cantering today. Let's hope she can win a Group 1 race this year as she's already a Group 2 winner.”

He also issued an update on Lake Forest, who is another to have resumed cantering this week. Haggas said, “He needs quick ground so he won't be out too early. But we'll be aiming him for the Commonwealth Cup, I suspect, because he's in the same position as her in that he's a Group 2 winner so there's not much point in going backwards. He might start in the Sandy Lane at the end of May.”

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Winner of the King George V S. last term, Desert Hero went on to claim Group 3 honours in the Gordon S. at Goodwood before finishing third to Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {JPN}) in the St Leger. 

Haggas had suggested that an Australian campaign could be on the cards for Desert Crown after the St Leger, however, it would appear that those plans have been put on the back burner for the time being at least. 

Speaking to RadioTAB Australia, Haggas said, “We decided definitely that His Majesty's horse will not be coming to Sydney in the autumn. We may well come down at the backend of the year in your (Australian) spring, but I just felt he needed a bit more time and they (his owners) concurred.”

When asked if the Melbourne Cup would be a likely destination, Haggas replied, “Possibly or possibly something in Sydney, we'll see. We are going to concentrate on going to Royal Ascot for the Hardwicke Stakes, which will be his first major target.

“He's done very well this winter. He will benefit from all the time he can get. It's 'do we press the button now or wait a bit' and we plumped for the second option, we're going to wait a bit.

“He's pretty useful, he got better and better last year and we think he's done better again this winter, so I am very pleased with him.”

Haggas will be represented in the big Australian races once again by Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}), who won both the Ranvet S. and the Queen Elizabeth S. last year before finishing a fine third to Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in the QEII Cup in Hong Kong.

“He'll go into quarantine on February 15. We're looking at the same two races as last year,” he commented. “I probably shouldn't have run him in the Eclipse, as he'd been on the go for a while, but there were only four runners and I thought he ran well for a long way in the Champion Stakes.

“To be honest, his whole summer was based around getting him in top shape to come to you (Australia) in February/March. He will be the same horse he was, I hope.

“I'd like him to come back for two years. If all goes well this year and he runs competitively, then basically it will be all the same again.”

Two more could travel with Dubai Honour, as Post Impressionist (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), winner of the Old Borough Cup, and Mujtaba (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), last seen finishing second in the Huxley S. in May, are both pencilled in.

“Post Impressionist will run in the Sydney Cup, he's been bought by Lloyd Williams. He's in really good shape,” said Haggas.

“Mujtaba might well go. I'm really pleased with his condition. He'll either go Ranvet or Tancred and then hopefully Queen Elizabeth.

“He's never won a Stakes race, in his only start last year he was second in a Group Two and then got colic. He's a good age, he's six but has only run nine times in his life.”

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After her July score over Stenton Glider at Sandown, the then-3-year-old was a close third in the G3 Prix de Lieurey, just two heads behind the winner Elounda Queen (Ire) (Australia {GB}).

Stenton Glider boasts a pair of group placings, and connections regarded her highly enough to race her in the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket last spring.

“This has been the target since she disappointed at Haydock [in August],” said Palmer of Stenton Glider. “She's had a break since then, the first real break of her life. She's grown and strengthened, filled out, and is a much stronger filly now.

“She's taken to Dubai really well; she's trained super and been very relaxed, so we hope she can run a very big race.”

Naturally, Godolphin has a strong presence in the lone group race of the nine-race card, and their trio includes the stakes-placed Silver Lady (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) at a mark of 101. William Buick is aboard the undefeated English Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) who most recently took a Kempton novice in November, while Richard Mullen has the call on the two-for-four Shining Jewel (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), who is riding a two-race winning streak. The trio break from posts three, eight and four, respectively.

“Shining Jewel is a nice spare to get,” said Mullen. “She won her last two starts and looks like she's improving. I had a sit on her the other day and she's a lovely big filly by Siyouni and I think she'll get further in time, as well.

“Obviously English Rose looks the pick of them, but they're all unexposed horses. The William Haggas filly [Mystic Pearl] brings the best form into it.”

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12.15 Lingfield, £6,600, Nov, 2yo, 7f 1y (AWT)
Shadwell's hitherto unraced WALEEFY (IRE) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) is a homebred son of Listed Prix de Liancourt victrix Aghareed (Kingmambo) and thus a half-brother to multiple Group 1 winners Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). The William Haggas trainee, who is also kin to this term's Listed Noel Murless S. third Naqeeb (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}), encounters five opponents in this debut.

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12.15 Newcastle, £9,950, Mdn, 2yo, 6f (AWT)
Jaber Abdullah's NOISY MUSIC (IRE) (Showcasing {GB}) is a Kevin Ryan-trained daughter of G1 Falmouth S. heroine Music Show (Ire) (Noverre). She is the lone filly in a nine-runner field and her eight rivals include Fiona Carmichael's Altmore (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}), a €360,000 Arqana August half-brother to two black-type performers produced by Listed Prix Dahlia victrix Keegsquaw (Ire) (Street Cry {Ire}), representing the in-form William Haggas stable.

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Employing patient tactics off the tempo in rear for most of the 14-furlong stamina test, the 38-5 chance made smooth headway on the bridle in the straight to seize control entering the final furlong and powered clear of toiling rivals thereafter to easily outpoint 97-1 outsider Diva Donna (Fr) (Cima De Triomphe {Ire}) by open water. La Mehana (Fr) (Al Wukair {Ire}) was best of the remainder and finished 1 1/2 lengths adrift in third. Connections also won this contest last year with Sea La Rosa (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

“[Owner] Mrs Tsui decided to keep her in training this year and she was right to do so as the filly is having a magnificent season,” said Maureen Haggas. “Last year, she was still very immature, but she has made big strides forward this season. She has strengthened up, won a Group 3 race before being placed in a Group 1, and today she has won her Group 1. She really picked up at the finish, but has sometimes tended to prick her ears and idle once she hits the front. We're going to discuss the next step together, but I suppose she could be retired to stud. You can't improve on a Group 1 win. It's very emotional because she was bought as a yearling by John Clarke, who passed away this year. This win is dedicated to his memory and we're all very emotional.”

Julien Carayon was delighted with the performance of runner-up Diva Donna and commented, “You had to take a leap of faith and she put in a very, very good performance. Nobody wanted her when she came up for sale this summer [her owners bought her back for €55,000]. People don't look at performances, they focus too much on pedigrees. She's a very good mare and we're now going to head to the [Oct. 29 G1] Prix Royal-Oak [back here].”

Reflecting on the effort of third-place finisher La Mehana, Jean-Claude Rouget added, “We're pleased because we were backing her up again following a two week interval and my horses aren't used to that. However, La Mehana had come out of her previous race in very good order and we knew that good ground was the order of the day. Despite the soft ground in the [G2] Prix de Pomone at Deauville last time, the filly still managed to finished fifth against the same opposition. We reasoned that a place was within her compass and she proved very brave in a race in which no quarter was asked for or given. She helped set the race up by racing prominently, but she likes to run that way and dominate. She's a really good filly.”

Pedigree Notes
Sea Silk Road, who becomes the 20th Group 1 winner for her sire, is one of three winners from as many runners produced by Listed Winterkonigin-Trial and G3 Grosser Preis von Lotto Hamburg third Oriental Magic (Ger) (Doyen {Ire}). Oriental Magic is kin to G2 Gerling-Preis and G3 Deutsches St Leger victor Oriental Eagle (Ger) (Campanologist) and MGSP G2 Prix Kergorlay second Oriental Fox (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}). The March-foaled bay's stakes-winning second dam Oriental Pearl (Ger) (Big Shuffle) is kin to three black-type performers and a full-sister to the dam of MGSW G1 Deutsches Derby and G1 Grosser Preis von Baden placegetter Oriental Tiger (Ger) (Tiger Hill {Ire}). Oriental Magic has the unraced 2-year-old filly Next Trick (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}) and a yearling full-sister to Sea Silk Road to come.

An absolute romp in Paris!

Sea Silk Road bounds clear to win the G1 Prix de Royallieu in scintillating fashion for the William Haggas team.

She's entered for the QIPCO British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes on #ChampionsDay.

pic.twitter.com/eHhJ0mEAzI

— Champions Series (@ChampionsSeries) September 30, 2023

Saturday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX DE ROYALLIEU-G1, €300,000, ParisLongchamp, 9-30, 3yo/up, f/m, 14fT, 2:57.06, g/s.
1–SEA SILK ROAD (IRE), 131, f, 4, by Sea The Stars (Ire)
      1st Dam: Oriental Magic (Ger) (SW & GSP-Ger, SP-Fr), by Doyen (Ire)
      2nd Dam: Oriental Pearl (Ger), by Big Shuffle
      3rd Dam: Orange Bowl (Ire), by General Assembly
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (190,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Sunderland Holding Inc; B-Kildaragh Stud (IRE); T-William Haggas; J-Aurelien Lemaitre. €171,429. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng, 12-4-2-2, €446,004. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Diva Donna (Fr), 131, m, 5, Cima De Triomphe (Ire)–Grande Synthe (Fr), by Dunkerque (Fr). GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Julien Carayon & Mme Marielle Alexandre; B-GFA Du Pont Rouge (FR); T-Julien Carayon. €68,580.
3–La Mehana (Fr), 131, f, 4, Al Wukair (Ire)–Oceanie (Fr), by Dansili (GB). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€55,000 RNA Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Mlle Selina Fernandez-Shaw Alvarez & Noir Et Or Elevage SA; B-Noir Et Or Elevage SA (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget. €34,290.
Margins: 3, 1HF, SNK. Odds: 7.60, 97.00, 19.00.
Also Ran: Rue Boissonade (Fr), Mimikyu (GB), Alpenblume (GB), Shamida (Ire), Melo Melo (GB), Poptronic (GB), Ottery (GB), Thunder Roll (Ire), Baiykara (Fr), Library (Ire), Sumo Sam (GB). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Part of a 1,750-strong catalogue, the juvenile is rated 109 and will be consigned by William Haggas's Somerville Lodge. He currently holds an entry in the G1 Middle Park S. on Sept. 30.

Some of the other notable lots include G1 Criterium International victor Proud And Regal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 674) from Coolmore; a pair of group winners consigned by The Castlebridge Consignment–Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) (lot 1057) and Lord Massusus (Ire) (Markaz {Ire}) (lot 663); and Juddmonte's G2 Prix Niel third Bravais (GB) (Frankel {GB}) (lot 1076).

In 2022, I'm A Gambler (Ire) (No Nay Never) topped the sale at 850,000gns when sold to Red Baron's Barn & Rancho Temescal prior to becoming stakes-placed in the U.S. From a smaller four-day catalogue, 1,006 horses sold for 36,164,500gns. The average was 35,949gns and the median was 16,000gns.

Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said, “Every year we see horses purchased at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale winning at the highest level, with no less than 83 individual group/listed winners since 2020 bought at the sale including seven Group/Grade 1 winners. That continued success is the key to the sale's enduring appeal and this year's catalogue looks set to cater to both domestic and international demand.”

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