William Haggas is putting together a small team of horses to travel to Australia to compete for the eye-watering riches on offer at the Sydney Autumn Carnival.
The Group 2 winners Dubai Honour and Purplepay will be joined by classy handicappers Protagonist and Earl Of Tyrone who have both been bought by Melbourne Cup-winning syndicate Australian Bloodstock.
The Carnival, staged at Royal Randwick and Rosehill Gardens, is a six week event from March to April featuring 18 Group 1 races worth over $40 million [£22m].
The Newmarket trainer and stable jockey Tom Marquand enjoyed spectacular success when they took on the challenge in 2020 and 2021 when Addeybb and Young Rascal travelled down under.
Addeybb defeated star local mare Verry Elleegant three times in four clashes to win the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes and two editions of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, which netted more than £2.2 million in earnings. Young Rascal picked up a Group 3 prize too.
“I’ve got four horses going,” said Haggas. “At the moment Earl Of Tyrone, Protagonist, Purplepay, who is a filly, and Dubai Honour. They go into quarantine on February 9.”
Dubai Honour is a dual Group 2-winning five-year-old gelding who finished runner-up in the 2020 Qipco Champion Stakes and fourth in the Hong Kong Cup. He could follow the same path as Addeybb.
Purplepay joined Haggas last season when she won the Group 2 Prix de Sandringham, while Earl Of Tyrone is new to the stable having won up to Listed level for Paddy Twomey in Ireland after being bought by his new owners at the horses in training sale for 300,000gns.
Protagonist won two handicaps when he raced last year for the Constitution Hill owner Michael Buckley.
