The William Haggas trained multiple Grade One winner Addeybb is set to head back to Australia before the British flat season, going in search of more like black type glory like he did last term.
The seven year old over a year ago had a break after his second at Ascot in the Champion Stakes two October's ago and then went over to Australia for the first time in his career and at the back end of March became a black type winner for the first time when taking the Ranvet Stakes on his first start down under.
The big target whilst Addeybb was over there was to race in the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes and on April 11th, with the rain bringing his favoured soft ground, he went on to take the contest with ease.
Since coming back over to the UK, he made his seasonal debut in the Group One Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot and he finished a decent second to the stand alone winner Lord North.
Haggas explained that he needed a run before heading to Ascot and was seen earlier this month when taking the Listed Doonside Cup, blowing away the cobwebs.
It looked a perfect prep run and with Magical, who beat him last year in the Group One race since winning another Group One, the form of the 2019 Champion Stakes looked superb.
Addeybb then went into the Champion Stakes looking to reverse some form and with the rain coming the gelding was an emphatic winner of the race, going on to land the third Group One of his career, seeing off a field full of top quality rivals.
Anything @HollieDoyle1 can do… @TomMarquand and Addeybb win the QIPCO Champion Stakes! @Ascot pic.twitter.com/8itzyq5FrZ
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 17, 2020
Addeybb was entered for the Saudi Cup in Riyadh on February 26, while he has also been nominated for the Dubai Sheema Classic on World Cup night at Meydan next month, but Australia is his first choice with it being a proven, working trip.
(Credit ATR) “He’s not going to go to Saudi. At the moment, we’re hoping to go to Australia to run in the same two races he won last year, but it is in the balance, because getting the staff there is the tricky bit,” said the Newmarket-based trainer.
“We couldn’t do Australia and Saudi Arabia and the race in Saudi Arabia is a little bit short and a brand new surface (dirt) for him, whereas Australia is tried and tested.”
If Coronavirus restrictions stop Addeybb from going down under to race, Haggas will send her to Meydan instead.
Haggas added: “Australia is our favoured course of action and Dubai is a very valuable and exciting back-up.
“The horses go into equine quarantine (for Australia) on February 11 and have to do two weeks before flying out, but my staff have to do two weeks quarantine in a hotel when they get to Australia.
“The staff need to leave before the horses go into quarantine here, because if that doesn’t happen, they won’t be there in time to greet the horses, which is no good. The staff would need to go next week.
“If it doesn’t happen, Dubai will be the next target. The horse seems in very good form.”