William Haggas wary of dry track for Queen Elizabeth champ Addeybb’s return in England
The “British Bulldog” Addeybb is set to resume racing in the Coral Eclipse Stakes at England’s Sandown racecourse on Saturday.
Addeybb hasn’t started since winning his second successive Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick during The Championships in April.
Trainer William Haggas entered Addeybb for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot earlier this month but withdrew his stable star on race eve due to the firm track conditions.
Haggas told News Corp Australia on Tuesday he would be reluctant to start Addeybb if the Sandown track was not suitable this weekend.
“We have had some rain this morning but the forecast is for warm and dry weather from tomorrow so we’ll see,’’ Haggas said.
The Eclipse Stakes is likely to attract a high class field with the likes of Mishriff, Lord North and St Mark’s Basilica.
This will be a good test for Addeybb, who was given a Timeform rating of 125 when he defeated Horse of the Year-elect Verry Elleegant in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Addeybb’s rating is the equal sixth-highest for the 2020-21 Australian season with Nature Strip earning Timeform’s top spot when he returned a 129 figure romping away with the TJ Smith Stakes.
Timeform rated Addeybb’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes win as the equal sixth-best in Australia this season. Picture: Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images
Classique Legend earned a 128 rating winning The Everest while Bivouac was given the same figure taking out the Darley Classic.
Irish stayer Anthony Van Dyck came in on 127 after a narrow loss to Verry Elleegant in the Caulfield Cup with runaway Doomben Cup winner Zaaki vaulting up the rankings with his 126 rating.
Eduardo’s wins in The Galaxy and Doomben 10,000 was enough to earn him a rating the equal of Addeybb while Verry Elleegant was rated on 123.
The highest-rated three-year-old was Queensland sprinter Rothfire (122) while Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside (122) topped the juvenile rankings.
Queensland’s wonder horse Incentivise, the early favourite for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, was given a 116 rating by Timeform after his win in the Tatt’s Cup last Saturday.
■ NSW TAB customers from Thursday will be able to purchase tickets for a chance to be a part of this year’s $1.3 million The Kosciuzko on Everest Day at Royal Randwick on October 16.
The Kosciuszko presents TAB customers with the opportunity to own a share in one of the 14 starters in the race simply by purchasing a $5 ticket.
These tickets can be purchased online or via the TAB App and will be available at TAB outlets, pubs, clubs and racetracks once they open again. There is no limit to the number of tickets an individual can purchase before the September 7 deadline.
In latest TAB Fixed Odds betting for The Kosciuszko, defending champ It’s Me is the $4.50 favourite ahead of Country Championships final winner Art Cadeaux and Victorem at $6.
TOP 10 TIMEFORM RATINGS FOR 2020-21
129 Nature Strip
128 Classique Legend, Bivouac
127 Anthony Van Dyck
126 Zaaki
125 Addeybb, Eduardo
124 Mugatoo, Russian Camelot
123 Verry Ellegant, Gytrash, Sir Dragonet, Tiger Moth
122 Stay Inside, Behemoth, Kolding, Armory, Rothfire
Originally published asAddeybb’s England return not set in stone
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