WILLIAM HAGGAS and Andrew Balding have announced shock new plans to open a ‘permanent’ yard in Australia.
The British trainers want a satellite stable near Sydney which will allow them to compete regularly for the mega cash on offer Down Under.
Haggas wants to take advantage of the huge money on offer in Australia
Haggas, 62, told Punters: “I haven’t told many people this but about three years ago when Addeybb was down here, Andrew Balding and I were very keen to set up a stable in Sydney somewhere.
“We even made enquiries about Paul Fudge’s place (Waratah Thoroughbreds in the Southern Highlands).
“We harboured a desire to open up a boutique stable.
“Andrew’s quite keen but he is 15 years younger than me, I’m getting a bit old.
“But we haven’t given it up.”
Haggas, who won the Derby in 1996 with Shaamit and achieved major success with miler Baaeed, has seen stable star Addeybb reach superstardom in Australia.
He won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2020 and 2021 as well as the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes in 2020.
Haggas wants more of his English horses to run in Oz – as opposed to flogging them for huge money.
He said: “Rather than sell the horses, we would encourage our owners to race them in Sydney.”
Haggas, who worked in Australia under trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith in 1980, was in Sydney on Monday.
He will saddle Dubai Honour in a blockbuster ‘rematch for the ages’ against Anamoe in the £2.7million Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
Godolphin’s nine-time Group 1 winner was drawn eight while Dubai Honour will jump from stall nine.
Haggas, who also runs Protagonist, said of his charge: ““He looks really well. We were very happy with him when we left home and he’s continued to thrive, I think he looks great.
“His form in England suggests he is better on a rain-affected surface, but we’ll see.”
Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.sportingexcitement.com/horse-racing/bookies-forced-to-slash-odds-on-willie-mullins-runner-in-grand-national/
