Haggas Hoping For Big Night With Quintet Of Runners

William Haggas has a strong hand in Saturday’s Group 1 Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World as he seeks his first victory on Dubai World Cup Night, sending out Group performers Mohaafeth and My Oberon.
The trainer, fresh off the plane, said at the track on Wednesday morning : “I’ve only just got here but I’ve got a great team here and after I’ve had a look at them this morning we’ll give them a bit of a stretch tomorrow.”
Mohaafeth (pictured above following stable-mate Alenquer) showed plenty of ability during his three-year-old campaign, most recently finishing fourth behind last year’s Dubai Sheema Classic winner Mishriff in the Group 1 International Stakes at York in August. The son of Frankel has had an operation to remove a testicle since his last start.
Haggas said: “When he was purchased Mohaafeth he was a rig – meaning they only have one descended testicle – and we didn’t think in his last races he was running as well as he possibly should have. We investigated and decided to take it out.
“My personal feeling is that in his last few races his last furlong over a mile and a quarter was weak and it certainly looked like it could be that which was troubling him. He’s got one less excuse now!
“He’s got a nice draw in a very strong race, but he’s got a chance. He’s got a bit to find with the top-rated horses, but he’s in good form and we hope he’ll run a good race – he’s certainly got the scope to improve on his rating.”
Haggas also has two chances in the Group 1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic over a mile and a half, sending out a pair of Group 2 scorers in Dubai Honour and Alenquer. The last-named took the notable scalp of leading Dubai Turf contender Lord North when winning the Group 3 Winter Derby in good style at Lingfield last month.
The trainer said of Alenquer: “I thought the track would be too quick and the surface probably quick enough but he’s clearly in good shape. It’s a strong race but he’s a nice horse. He surprised me in the Classic Trial at Sandown when defeating a very strong field, but he’s gone on to win easily at Royal Ascot and finish second in the International Stakes at York.”
The improving Dubai Honour signed off on his UK campaign with a fine effort to finish second in the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot last October, and has since hit the frame in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin. This will be his first try over a mile and a half, but Haggas feels he’s well worth his place in this contest.
He said: “He’s gone from strength to strength since, winning two Group 2 races in France and finishing second in the Champion Stakes. It’s his first time over a mile and a half and I’m not sure about the ground for him. He needs cut in the ground, but he did run a very solid race in December at Sha Tin. He was fourth and finished good in a strong race so we’ll see.”
Haggas also has a runner in the $12 million Group 1 Emirates Dubai World Cup with Grocer Jack, who is a new addition to the yard from Germany. He is unraced on the dirt but Haggas, who was second in the race with Mukhadram back in 2014, feels his charge is entitled to take his chance.
He said: “Grocer Jack has hit a very strong race this year with some professional horses, so he is rightfully an outsider. He ran well in Saudi Arabia and the one thing I didn’t think he’d do was break slowly, which he did.
“That will be difficult with all the specialist dirt runners from America and Japan. You never know of course, but it’s a real tough ask for him. The one thing about these races is that you can never win them if you don’t run in them, so we’ll see.”

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