Haggas fits blinkers to Dubai Honour using Addeybb blueprint
Jet-setting gelding Dubai Honour must overcome two of Australia's standout mares to notch up a repeat Queen Elizabeth Stakes success, and trainer William Haggas is employing a strategy that has worked before to boost his prospects.
Similar to his preparation of Addeybb ahead of the 2021 weight-for-age showdown, Haggas has applied blinkers to Dubai Honour in pursuit of an extra boost.
"The boss has talked about doing it before and I've always felt the horse doesn't need them because he tries really hard," Haggas' travelling foreperson, Isabella Paul said.
"But it's one of those things. He's older, he stays, and we need him to be sharp throughout.
"It worked with Addeybb when we did it for his second Queen Elizabeth and we're hoping it works with him."
In his latest outing, Dubai Honour was game in grabbing the lead unusually in the Tancred Stakes (2400m), kicking away atop the straight only to get collared late by Aeliana, with Autumn Glow also set to challenge strongly at Randwick on Saturday.
They'll offer fierce competition, yet the veteran eight-year-old beat Anamoe to win the 2023 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) and was game in defeat as runner-up to Via Sistina last year.
"They're two phenomenal fillies, but we can't swerve these races because of what's running," Paul said.
"We've flown halfway across the world.
"It makes it exciting. We bumped into Via Sistina last year and Anamoe three years ago, so hopefully we can go out in front."
Haggas has also entered Caviar Heights in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) under Paul's care, the gelding fresh from second in the Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) supporting the Tancred.
He'll have to improve markedly, but Paul hopes for a quicker start to allow him to sit handy.
"He tends to run from the front, but he broke a little bit slow and got shuffled back, which wasn't ideal," she said of his last start.
"I'm not sure he could have beaten the winner, but it was probably his undoing."
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