William Haggas to unleash Al Mubhir in Group 1 Ranvet Stakes with Dubai Honour to wait another week

English trainer William Haggas has selected his runner for the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes as he hunts his third win in the race at Rosehill on Saturday.

Master English trainer William Haggas will bypass Saturday’s Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) with top gun Dubai Honour, leaving stablemate Al Mubhir to take on Aussie superstar Via Sistina at Rosehill Gardens.

Haggas had entered two of his four international autumn raiders in the $1m feature but will hold off unleashing Dubai Honour for his second Australian preparation.

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Dubai Honour claimed the 2023 Ranvet Stakes but is poised to target the Group 1 $1.5m Tancred Stakes (2400m) a week later in the lead-up to the Group 1 $5m Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).

“Hopefully he will go for the Tancred next weekend,” Haggas’ travelling foreperson Issy Paul said.

“Dubai Honour has proven last year that he’s probably almost a better horse over a mile-and-a-half.

“He won the Prix de Saint Cloud over a mile-and-a-half at St Cloud and then he was second at Baden Baden in another Group 1 and then he was second at the end of the year in Hong Kong over a mile-and-a-half.

“He has definitely proven himself over that trip and it looks a really nice race for him so he will go there and then we’ll see how he comes out of that.”

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Haggas is hunting his third Ranvet Stakes after first winning the race with Addeybb in 2020.

Al Mubhir had a light workout on the polytrack at Canterbury Park in preparation for his Australian debut with English rider Tom Marquand back in the country to ride.

William Haggas’ Ranvet Stakes hopeful Al Mubhir (3) and stablemate Marama out for a stroll at Canterbury. 👇 pic.twitter.com/A8XRGsRAe1

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) March 18, 2025

The son of Frankel doesn’t boast the resume of his top stablemate Dubai Honour but does hold a Listed win to his name in the Northern Hemisphere.

“Al Mubhir has got a great mind for it, a bit like Dubai Honour,” Paul said.

“He won a Listed race nicely at Sandown last year.

“He could probably do with a little bit more cut in the ground but he’s just a lovely, big, sound horse and he has the ideal mentality and type to come down here.

“At home, he has always been a horse we’ve thought very highly of and sometimes he doesn’t translate that into the afternoons.

“He has been galloping with Dubai Honour since he’s been here and he is well able to match him, so you’d hope he can translate that into the afternoon and we’ll hopefully see a nice run on Saturday.”

William Haggas with Tom Marquand after winning the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

A field of just seven contenders accepted for the Ranvet with Via Sistina set to start at short odds to defend her claim on the Group 1.

Trainer Chris Waller is also poised to give a maiden Australian start to new arrival Full Count Felicia, a North American Group 1 winner purchased by Yulong.

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Zarakem, Fawkner Park, Lindermann and Golden Path make up the small but select field.

Meanwhile, Paul confirmed Desert Hero would not make it to Saturday week’s Tancred Stakes as he continues to get over a taxing flight to Australia.

“I don’t want to rush him through stuff to make a race when I think he’ll get better and better,” she said.

“He’s got an entry for the Sydney Cup, Queen Elizabeth, Chairman’s Handicap, JRA Plate. There are plenty of different options for him later in the carnival.”

Originally published as William Haggas to unleash Al Mubhir in Group 1 Ranvet Stakes with Dubai Honour to wait another week