William Haggas’ Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Dubai Honour headlines international contingent for The Championships

English trainer William Haggas set for another strong hand during Sydney’s upcoming The Championships.

William Haggas has claimed plenty of Sydney’s autumn carnival richest before. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

English trainer William Haggas has locked in a return mission to Australia for 2023 Queen Elizabeth Stakes hero Dubai Honour as part of a world class list of seven internationals confirmed for Sydney’s upcoming The Championships.

Haggas will bring a team of three runners Down Under for his latest autumn assault with three Japanese contenders also among the healthy list of Group 1 hopefuls.

Dubai Honour will be joined by Desert Hero, owned by His Majesty King Charles III, and Al Mubhir.

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Haggas was weighing up a crack at the $2.5 million Emir’s Trophy in Qatar with Dubai Honour but has elected to come to Australia to target Sydney’s autumn riches.

It’s anticipated Dubai Honour will now be aimed at the Group 1 $1.5 million Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 29 for which he is a $3.50 favourite.

The son of Pride Of Dubai was a revelation for Haggas when he last visited Australia two years ago with victories in the Ranvet Stakes and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

DUBAI HONOUR WINS THE G1 QUEEN ELIZABETH!

The battle we had all been waiting for, @WilliamHaggas and @TomMarquand have achieved the feat once again. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/t36Q3MWjZO

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 8, 2023

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Running in the Tancred would give Dubai Honour the chance to line up two weeks later in the Group 1 $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).

Desert Hero will have multiple big race nominations including the Queen Elizabeth Stakes on April 12 and the Group 1 $2 million Sydney Cup (3200m), both at Royal Randwick.

Al Mubhir will attempt to win the Group 1 $4 Doncaster Mile (1600m) with his trainer hoping the son of Frankel gets his preferred soft conditions during the autumn.

Al Mubhir quickens well to win the Davies Insurance Solutions Gala Stakes with Tom Marquand onboard for the William Haggas stable! 🥇 pic.twitter.com/R3qGXxLwn1

— Sandown Park (@Sandownpark) July 5, 2024

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Haggas added to his remarkable record in Australia last spring when Lake Forest scored in the $10 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill Gardens.

He won’t be the only English trainer targeting Sydney’s riches with the James Ferguson-trained Mrs Morrell set to target autumn races.

Japan will have three contenders with Geoglyph, Rousham Park and Cils Blancs.

The Tetsuya Kimura-trained Geoglyph is now a six-year-old but boasts a victory over former Japanese superstar Equinox on her resume, winning the 2022 Group 1 Japanese 2000 Guineas (2000m).

She will be targeted at the Doncaster Mile.

Rousham Park, trained by Hiroyasu Tanaka, was a narrow runner up to Rebel’s Romance in last year’s Group 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf (2000m) in the United States and is preparing for another globetrotting mission in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

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🏆 2024 @BreedersCup Turf
🏆 2022 Breeders' Cup Turf #BC24pic.twitter.com/NqVHflz1iZ

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) November 2, 2024

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Yukio Inagaki’s Cils Blancs will target the Group 1 $2 million Sydney Cup (3200m).

“The Japanese horses are all tied up with Northern Farm and they are becoming regulars to Sydney,” Australian Turf Club Head of Racing and Wagering Nevesh Ramdhani said.

“Two of those horses are well travelled and have gone over to the Breeders’ Cup.

“It’s a great result for the Sydney Autumn Carnival because there international raced horses now attending both our Spring and Autumn carnivals.

“Clearly Sydney is on the radar for the rest of the world and it’s a great result for everyone.”

The English contingent will arrive in Australia on March 4 with the Japanese raiders set to land at Canterbury Park Quarantine Centre a fortnight later.

Originally published as William Haggas’ Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Dubai Honour headlines international contingent for The Championships