Sea of Class Leads Haggas Brigade

[Wandering Eyes]

The emergence of Sea Of Class (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) into a Group 1 performer last season was nothing short of spectacular and trainer William Haggas hopes he will be celebrating more big days with his star filly in 2019. After starting last term as an unraced 3-year-old, the daughter of Sea The Stars stormed through the ranks to claim top-level glory in both the Irish and Yorkshire Oaks, before finding only Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) too strong in an epic running of the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. With connections deciding to keep Sea Of Class in training, the Newmarket handler is keeping his fingers crossed she can maintain her high standards before again going for glory in Paris in October.

Haggas said, “I think every race she ran in last year she improved on the previous race, and her defeat in the Arc was probably her best run. Her run in the Irish Oaks was a terrific ride by James [Doyle] as much as a great run. That was her first season racing and she has only had six runs. Hopefully this year she won’t deteriorate. She certainly looks stronger and her movement is good and everything seems to be on schedule.

“I don’t think she was winning races last year because she outstayed them, it was because she was quicker than them. I think she is pretty versatile as regards to her trip. There are two races in May for her, the [May 16 G2] Middleton at York or G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh [on May 26]. She has won over a mile and a quarter already and she has got plenty of speed. Everything will be geared towards Paris, but we have a few mountains to climb before that. In an ideal world I would like to run her in the Middleton and then the [G1] Prince of Wales’s at Royal Ascot.”

Sea Of Class is not the only Group 1-winning filly the Skipton-born trainer will have back among his ranks for another campaign, with last year’s G1 Prix de la Foret winner One Master (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) also being kept in training for Lael Stable.

He added, “The connections like their racing and have lots of broodmares and they said if we felt she had a bit more to give, to keep her racing at five. Full credit to them and I hope it pays off. She will go for the [G1] Lockinge [on May 18 ], then on to the [G1] Queen Anne [S. at Royal Ascot] as she wants a mile now and she will have to take on the boys. She will have a Group 1 penalty in every race outside a Group 1 and I don’t like running horses with big penalties.”

An outing in the Derby may not have worked out for Young Rascal (Fr), but after posting two Group 3 wins at Newbury at the end of the season, the son of Intello (Ger) will bid to start where he left off at the Berkshire track on Saturday.

“Young Rascal is an interesting horse this year,” said Haggas. “He is going to run in the [G3] John Porter [S.], then he will be in quite a few staying races. We might have a dart at the [G2] Yorkshire Cup [on May 17], though I wouldn’t mind taking him back to Epsom for the [G1] Coronation Cup [on May 31]. I think he might stay a bit further this year. He has run well with cut in the ground and most of his best form is on it, but I’m not convinced he needs it.”

When it comes to potential Classic contenders, Haggas, who celebrated a record 25 winners at listed level and above last season, could have in promising fillies Rainbow Heart (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}) and Frankellina (GB) (Frankel {GB}) two perfect candidates to take aim at such prizes.

“I don’t know where I am quite going yet with Rainbow Heart, but I’ve put her in the French Oaks and Guineas,” said Haggas. “She may go to Kempton on Saturday week for a conditions race. She is a nice filly, but we will try to go low profile first time out, then build her up. She was beaten first time out, but then the likes of Shaamit (Ire) (Mtoto {GB}) and Dancing Rain (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) were as well. She won well second time out, but I’m not sure what she beat. There is stamina in the family so she should get a mile and a quarter.”

He went on, “I need to run Frankellina in a trial to see if she is good enough for an Oaks. She is bred to stay, but she has got a lot of speed. I don’t know where to start her as she had a minor setback, but she is now back in fast work. I might run her at the end of this month in the novice race Give And Take won (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) [at Sandown], then look at the [G3] Musidora [S. on May 15]. I’d like to give her two runs before the Oaks, if that’s not possible we will look at the [G2] Ribblesdale [S. on June 20] or [G1] Irish Oaks [on July 20].”

An entry in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket next to the name of Skardu (GB) (Shamardal) suggests the regard in which he is held, after making a winning debut at the track in September–but Haggas is not getting carried away just yet.

He said, “He won his only start last year and is a nice horse. He has done well over the winter and may go to Newmarket next week for the seven-furlong conditions race or he might go for a novice. He was very impressive on his debut. He picked up well and won nicely and there was nothing not to like about it. He has a long way to go, though, as he is only a maiden winner.”

Haggas also revealed plans for G2 bet365 Mile hero Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}); the two-for-three Alexana (GB) (Al Kazeem {GB}); and last out G3 Oak Tree S. victress Pretty Baby (Ire) (Orpen).

“He will definitely go a mile and a quarter again at some stage this season, as I think a mile is the minimum he needs now,” said Haggas on Addeybb. “He is in the Lockinge and several mile-and-a-quarter races. He needs soft ground to be at his best. He has won a Group 2 in soft ground, but it is ambitious to say he is a Group 1 horse in the making, though he is clearly talented. If it sloshed down with rain in Newmarket he could run in the [G3] Earl of Sefton [at Newmarket on Apr. 18].”

Added the trainer on Alexana, “She won a two-horse race on her final start last year at Ascot. She should improve and looks a lot stronger this year, as she was an immature-looking filly. She will go to Goodwood for the Daisy Warwick S., which is a listed race. She will then go for races like the [G3] Pinnacle S. [on June 8] and [G2] Lancashire Oaks [on July 6].”

“She is a pretty useful filly, that is very genuine,” the trainer said of Pretty Baby. “She has already won a Group 3 and if she stays sound we will look towards starting her off in either the [May 11 G3] Chartwell at Lingfield or we might go to Ireland for the [G3] Athasi S. [on May 6]. I would hope she would get a mile this year. She might be the type for the [G2] Duke of Cambridge at Royal Ascot. She is a very talented filly, but she is tough and wants to win as well.”

Both the winning Pablo Escobarr (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and debut victor Senza Limiti (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) are also doing well heading toward their first starts of their 3-year-old seasons.

“He is a lovely horse, who should stay well,” said Haggas on Pablo Escobarr. “He has run twice for us, both times at Goodwood, which is probably the worst track for him, but he finished second behind [subsequent GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf hero] Line Of Duty (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) then won a maiden, so we can’t criticise him. He is only rated 91, so the handicap route is tempting, but we might run him in the [G3] Classic Trial at Sandown [on Apr. 26].”

Added Haggas on Senza Limiti, “He won his maiden quite well and picked up nicely. We’ve put him in at Thirsk on Saturday. I think he is a nice horse, but we just need to plot away quietly with him. He is in the [G2] Dante [S. at York on May 16], but if they win their only race at two and first at three you need to give them options. He looks good at home.”

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