Trainer William Haggas has never had a starter in the Breeders' Cup, but he is amending that blank on his resume in 2018. After a phenomenal season led by the Classic exploits of Sea Of Class (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Haggas is attempting to add a Breeders' Cup victory or two at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2-3. His duo of runners are G1 Prix de la Foret heroine One Master (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) who races for Lael Stable, and the Group 3 winner Queen Of Bermuda (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), who is already well-seasoned with 10 starts under her belt.
Missing from his Breeders' Cup hopefuls, at least this year, is Haggas's star 2018 performer, G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe bridesmaid Sea Of Class (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Following a runner-up performance on debut at Newmarket, the chestnut, who bears the same silks as her Arc-winning sire of the Tsuis' Sunderland Holdings, rattled off a quartet of victories under regular pilot James Doyle, saluting in the May 19 Listed Fillies' Trial S. at Newbury, the June 14 Listed Johnnie Lewis Memorial British EBF S., and she tasted Classic glory in the G1 Darley Irish Oaks at The Curragh on July 21. The G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks also went the way of the talented filly, and a horror draw in at ParisLongchamp resulted in a head second to none other than defending Arc victress Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}).
The Newmarket handler is quick to count his blessings, as he prepares One Master for an appearance in the $2-million GI Breeders' Cup Mile, which will be drawn along with the remaining Breeders' Cup races on Monday.
Haggas said, “It's a whole new experience for me, because I've never had a runner at the Breeders' Cup before–and I've very rarely gone to America to race. The plan was to keep One Master in training until she won the Foret. There is only one Group 1 race over seven furlongs–and she has won it–so what is the point of carrying a Group 1 penalty next year? We are going to run in the [GI Breeders' Cup] mile to see if she gets it, and that might open up a few options, but I think they [owners] have asked to go to Frankel (GB) already.”
He added, “She has always been good, but she hasn't run like it this year. I've always thought she wanted soft ground–and I don't think anyone can describe the ground at Longchamp [like that] as it was rough. She is tough and she looks great at the moment.”
The speedy Queen Of Bermuda will contest the inaugural $1-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint over 5 1/2 furlongs, which has drawn the most pre-entries of any race over the two days of the Breeders' Cup with 28 juveniles hoping for a spot in the starting gate. Thanks to her busy schedule earlier this year, with a listed win in Prix de la Vallee d'Auge at Deauville on Aug. 15, and a Group 3 triumph two starts later in the Firth of Clyde S. at Ayr, the Bermuda Thoroughbred Racing colourbearer is assured a spot in the field on Nov. 2. Queen of Bermuda emphasised her quality with a second in the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte last out on Oct. 13 and she will remain Stateside after the Breeders' Cup.
“Queen Of Bermuda is not coming back after this, because she is going to [American trainer] Graham Motion,” said Haggas. “It's a bit of a final fling for her. She has just got better and better. When she got stuffed at Ascot [in the Listed Windsor Castle] I thought that was the end of her. When she ran second to Soldier's Call (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) in France she would have gone pretty close–but Christophe [Soumillon], under my instructions, followed the wrong one, and the race was over by the time she got out. She has been pretty consistent and has won the Firth Of Clyde. That is a long way from winning this race–but if she gets a good draw, one thing she knows how to do is race properly.”
“She ran very well in the [G1] Cheveley Park [S. when seventh on Sept. 29] and ran well in a Group 2 at Maisons-Laffitte since,” he said. “I think she is in great nick. I never thought I'd end a season well enough with horses good enough to go there at this time of year. I'm delighted to be taking part in it, albeit with two outsiders.”
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