William Haggas | Horse Racing Free Tips

Mohaafeth Misses The Derby, Is Ascot Bound

Shadwell's Mohaafeth (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was taken out of Saturday's G1 Cazoo Derby due to the ease in the going and will head to Royal Ascot, trainer William Haggas explained. Visibly disappointed as he made the declaration on ITV Racing, the Newmarket-based handler was not happy to chance the Listed Newmarket S. winner on the good-to-soft ground following Friday's heavy rain. “After lots of soul searching and discussion, we have decided to scratch and go to Ascot,” he said. “It was a decision that essentially was left by Sheikha Hissa to me and I have never felt the horse is comfortable on soft, dead ground. It's not soft, but it is dead and I don't really want to run in a race I don't think I can win. I'm very grateful for the support and I'm sure it's the right decision, but we'll never know whether it's right or wrong. We all want to win the Derby, every owner, jockey and trainer wants to win the Derby, but we want to have a fighting chance. This is a young horse with a lot of potential and he's got a lot more to offer, so I think it will be a bump in the road running him today. So yes, it's sad, but in a way I'm relieved.”

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Commonwealth Cup in the Cards For Sacred

Cheveley Park Stud homebred Sacred (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) is being pointed at the G1 Commonwealth Cup S. at Royal Ascot. Runner-up in a trio of Group 2 events in 2020, the William Haggas charge captured the G3 Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn S. at Newmarket on Apr. 14, but tired to seventh in the May 2 G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas when last seen.

“That [Commonwealth Cup] is the wish at this point in time,” said Cheveley Park Stud Managing Director Chris Richardson. “We thought that she didn't stay in the Guineas. The Commonwealth Cup is a tough race, but it's the logical race for her.

“She was the last off the bridle at Newmarket, in fairness–she just ran out of puff. We think she's come on well for the experience, and William is pleased with her, so we'll roll the dice.”

Another Cheveley Park colourbearer, the two-for-two Potapova (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is a possible starter in the G1 Coronation S., also at Royal Ascot. The bay Sir Michael Stoute trainee broke her maiden at first asking over seven furlongs on the synthetic at Chelmsford on Nov. 26 and returned on May 17 to pick up another novice win going that trip in her turf bow at Redcar.

“We haven't made that decision yet,” he added. “That is what I would favour personally, but Sir Michael is playing his cards close to his chest, so we'll see.

“I know that he rates this filly very highly. She did take a while to come to herself last year, but obviously she has come earlier [this year] and she has plenty of potential, which we've already witnessed.

“We can't commit [to the Coronation] just yet, but I'm hoping she might turn up there. She's got plenty of talent and she's one that we can bring along gradually–and I'm sure she'll keep improving.”

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Newbury Cruise For Sea the Stars’ Al Aasy

William Haggas could not have hoped for a better warm-up for the June 4 G1 Coronation Cup for the apple of his eye Al Aasy (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), with Shadwell's deeply-promising 4-year-old going through Saturday's G3 Al Rayyan S. at Newbury like a routine piece of work. Treating Juddmonte's 2019 G1 St Leger hero Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}) as a mere lead-horse, the 10-11 favourite who had won comfortably on fast ground in the course-and-distance G3 John Porter S. Apr. 18 sauntered by that rival two out. Unextended from there with Jim Crowley almost motionless, the low-mileage bay recorded a bloodless four-length verdict over Thunderous (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}), with Logician a respectable 1 1/2 lengths away in third. “I couldn't fault him–he was very relaxed, which we considered to be the most important part and Jim felt he could have waited longer if he was able to,” Haggas said. “He's such a strong traveller and works like that at home. He gives his all and always looks like Nijinsky against the others.”

Successful in four of his last five starts including the 13-furlong G3 Bahrain Trophy on ground similar to this at Newmarket in July, Al Aasy's only blip was when last of six in Goodwood's G3 Gordon S. on a fast surface three weeks later. He will eventually have to prove that a lively surface holds no fears and he may have to do that at Epsom next month, but on this evidence he will be a tough nut to crack whatever turns up in Surrey. “He was just getting above himself and the gap between the John Porter and the Coronation Cup was too long,” his trainer elaborated. “I came to the conclusion that if he couldn't win this under a penalty, he wouldn't be wining a Coronation Cup. He's very well-balanced and I think he'll glide around Epsom. We loved him as a yearling and it's win-win for us, as he was bred by Mrs Tsui who has the younger full-sister Sea Karats (Ire) who will have more to offer in time. I've always thought Sea the Stars was a good stallion and Sheikh Juma [Dalmook Al Maktoum] and I were mad-keen to buy as many as possible at the start. They are tough and they stay. Some are tricky, but they are good.”

As his trainer outlined, Al Aasy comes from the Tsui Family's Sunderland Holding operation as the first foal out of Kitcara (GB) (Shamardal) who is a daughter of the dual German listed winner and G3 Premio Sergio Cumani runner-up Kitcat (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}). Also responsible for the dual listed scorer and G2 Prix Noailles runner-up Kapour (Ire) (Toylsome {GB}), she descends from the listed-placed Kittiwake (GB) (Barathea {Ire}) who is a half-sister to the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond S.-winning sire Pentire (GB). This is also the family of the G1 Gran Criterium winner and leading German sire Konigstiger (Ger) (Tiger Hill {Ire}) and the G1 Epsom and Irish Derby hero and champion sire Shirley Heights (GB). Kitcara's aforementioned 3-year-old filly Sea Karats (Ire), who was a 500,000gns Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 graduate, was runner-up in this month's Listed Pretty Polly S. She also has an as-yet unnamed 2-year-old filly also by Sea the Stars and a yearling filly by Australia (GB).

Saturday, Newbury, Britain
AL RAYYAN S. (ASTON PARK S.)-G3, £100,000, Newbury, 5-15, 4yo/up, 12fT, 2:39.11, g/s.
1–AL AASY (IRE), 129, c, 4, by Sea the Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Kitcara (GB), by Shamardal
2nd Dam: Kitcat (Ger), by Monsun (Ger)
3rd Dam: Kittiwake (GB), by Barathea (Ire)
(300,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT). O-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd; B-Sunderland Holding Inc (IRE); T-William Haggas; J-Jim Crowley. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 7-4-0-1, $151,931. *Full to Sea Karats (Ire), SP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Thunderous (Ire), 126, c, 4, Night of Thunder (Ire)–Souviens Toi (GB), by Dalakhani (Ire). (70,000gns Ylg '18 TAOCT). O-Highclere Thoroughbred Racing (George Stubbs); B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Mark Johnston. £21,500.
3–Logician (GB), 126, h, 5, Frankel (GB)–Scuffle (GB), by Daylami (Ire). O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden. £10,760.
Margins: 4, 1HF, HF. Odds: 0.91, 8.50, 1.88.
Also Ran: Ranch Hand (GB), Rainbow Dreamer (GB). Scratched: Asiaaf (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Haggas Outlines Plans For Stable Stars

Shadwell's Al Aasy (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who won the G3 Finest Surprise S. at Newbury on Apr. 18, will back up in the G3 Al Rayyan S. there on May 15. Originally, the 4-year-old was tagged to go straight to the June 4 G1 Coronation Cup S., but trainer William Haggas determined that his charge was so fresh and well, another run was needed.

“I was going to wait for the Coronation Cup, but he's too well so he's going to run next Saturday in a Group 3 back at Newbury on Lockinge day,” said Haggas. “That will give us three weeks to Epsom. He worked beautifully this [Wednesday] morning. He's a very impressive horse at home.

“He wouldn't go over the top [if he didn't run at Newbury], but he might get a bit fresh and silly. He needs racing, that horse, he didn't race much last year. I don't like carrying penalties in stakes races, but this race is a good fit–I don't want to go further up in trip for the Yorkshire Cup and I think the Coronation Cup is the right race. He's very powerful and everything is easy for him, we'll see how good he is soon enough but at the moment he's an impressive horse.”

Haggas stablemate My Oberon (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), although being considered for the G1 Lockinge on May 15, is not a guaranteed runner. He won the G3 Earl Of Sefton S. at Newmarket on Apr. 14 in his latest outing.

Speaking on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast, Haggas said, “I'm debating about him. I really want to go for the [G1] Prix d'Ispahan on May 30 and I can't do both. I want to go up in trip with him and he's in the Prince of Wales's and I'll put him in the Eclipse. If he's going to improve enough to be a proper horse, he's got to do it going up in trip. He was good at Newmarket over nine and I'm just not sure taking on Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is the right way round. I think if we go for a nine-furlong Group 1 in France that fits better, we've got to make him a stallion.”

Rounding out the Haggas trio is the multiple Group 1 winner Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), who has returned in good order from his latest Australian sojourn.

Added Haggas, on Addeybb, “I'm not going to turn him away and I'm going to get him ready for the Prince of Wales's [S. at Royal Ascot on June 16], I think.”

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