Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Addeybb’s trainer William Haggas isn’t committing to attempting a threepeat with his superstar gelding in the 2022 Queen Elizabeth Stakes just yet but he is eager to bring more horses to Sydney next year.

Trainer William Haggas. (Pic: Edward Whitaker).

As the seven-year-old prepares to return to the UK, he's currently in Melbourne and is expected to arrive home on Thursday, Haggas told Radio TAB he’s wary of age catching up with Addeybb.

“He’s going to be eight years old so whether he comes back or we come back I don’t know yet,’’ Haggas said.

“I have a strong stable of horses up here in Newmarket and there must be something there that would suit down under. You haven’t heard the last of us anyway.”

Haggas said Addeybb could likely tackle the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, he ran second in the race last year after returning from Sydney, or have a longer break and head to the Group 1 Eclipse Stakes in July.

He said he'd enter Addeybb for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in Paris but considers the horse would be a 25/1 chance and best there and would be unlikely to head there.

“This horse has got to have a break at some stage, he had a break after Royal Ascot last year and a break after the Champion Stakes,’’ he said.

“You can’t keep them going on and on in training, you’ve got to rekindle that enthusiasm. We’ll see how he travels.”

The trainer gave a heap of credit to jockey Tom Marquand for not only suggesting Addeybb wear blinkers on Saturday but for a masterful ride after the horse stepped away slowly.

Marquand didn’t panic in the early stages and gradually improved his position and Haggas felt he contributed a great deal to his rival Verry Elleegant not settling in the run.

“I thought Tom was exceptional on Saturday, I thought he rode a brilliant race,’’ he said.

“Tom was clever with James (McDonald), they went no gallop and James had to drag his filly out to stop her being so free then he hooked her to the outside and by the time he got there he didn’t have much time to relax and ride a race because they were starting to kick on in front of him.

“It was awkward for him and I think connections of Verry Elleegant felt they didn’t see their filly at her best but the record books will say we beat her.”

Winx is the only horse to win three straight Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2017-19) while the legendary Tulloch also won the race three times (1958, 1960, 1961).

On Addeybb's side as far as another Sydney campaign is concerned is the fact he's only had 22 starts, and he's won over $4 million in prizemoney in his four starts in Sydney for three wins and a second.

Addeybb wins the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick

While we will have to wait for a decision on whether Addeybb has a third shot, after two attempts at winning the Sydney Cup (3200m) without success Haggas said he has a burning ambition to find the right horse for the Group 1 staying contest.

He’s won successive Group 3 Manion Cups at Rosehill with Young Rascal and Favorite Moon but both came up short when they got to the two miles at Randwick.

“I haven’t mastered the Sydney Cup at all. We’ve got to think how we are going to get one with a chance,’’ Haggas said.

"The team said (Favorite Moon) was a little tired and I don’t think he stayed the trip. At the mile somebody came up on his outside and lit him up a bit and Kerrin (McEvoy) said he couldn’t get him to spit the bit out.

“He said he was weak in the last 300m so he probably didn’t stay the trip.”

Racing NSW - your home of live racing, form, tips and the latest news.