Soft going key for trainer William Haggas as Addeybb eyes Eclipse

The five-year-old won his first race for over a year when comfortably landing the Wolferton Stakes last week in emphatic style for Yorkshire-born trainer William Haggas.

It was a return to form for Addeybb who had come to prominence when winning Doncaster’s season-opening Lincoln handicap in March last year and then the bet365 Mile at Sandown early last season.

Haggas believes softer going is the key to Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum’s gelding and is skipping possible races this weekend in order to save Addeybb for the Eclipse which was won by horse of the year Roaring Lion in 2018.

“He loved the ground at Ascot so we’ll shoot for the stars – if he gets his ground – and go for the Eclipse,” said Haggas.

“If he gets his ground he could be quite dangerous in a race like that.

“I’ve got him in a few different places and the ground will determine where he goes, but I don’t think he’ll be out this weekend.”

Meanwhile Haggas says One Master – a Group One winner in France last year – is likely to head for the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket on July 12 after her meritorious run at Royal Ascot.

The mare hit the front inside the final furlong of the Queen Anne Stakes only to be collared late on by Tudhope’s mount Lord Glitters and Beat The Bank.

She will now revert to taking on her own sex next month.

“Whether she went too early, which I think is harsh, or whether she just didn’t quite get home I don’t know,” said Haggas. “She’s a pretty decent filly and I suspect we’ll go for the Falmouth.

“She’s in everything, she’s in the Lennox. The problem is she’s clobbered with a Group One penalty at the moment.”

In other racing news, Technician will be trained for the William Hill St Leger at Doncaster by trainer Martyn Meade whose Advertise won last Friday’s Commionwealth Cup at the Royal meeting under Frankie Dettori.

The grey bounced back to winning ways in a Listed event over 10 furlongs at ParisLongchamp earlier this month, having disappointed badly in a Derby trial at Chester previously when Meade’s horses were badly out of form, prompting him to close his stable for a month. “He was in a similar situation to Advertise with what happened at Chester – we can just forget about that race,” said Meade. “He came out of his last race bouncing.”

Meade senses Technician may well even have the necessary stamina for the Classic on Town Moor in September.

He said: “I don’t think the Leger will be too far by the time we get to then – hopefully he’ll have had a couple of runs over a mile and a half by then. We may wait to run him in a Leger trial. The ultimate aim is Doncaster – so Goodwood (Gordon Stakes) might work well time-wise, and we want to pick some nice races for him.”

Persian Moon may be heading to Glorious Goodwood after performing with credit on his handicap debut in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot. The three-year-old colt, trained by Middleham’s Mark Johnston, delighted connections when finishing fourth behind three Aidan O’Brien runners headed by South Pacific.