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Haggas runner lands Haydock feature
Royal Ascot hero Addeybb got back on the winning trail with a decisive success in the Rose of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock.
Following an impressive display in the Wolferton Stakes in June, the William Haggas-trained five-year-old was a well-backed favourite to follow up in last month's Sky Bet York Stakes, but had to make do with the runner-up spot behind Mark Johnston's Elarqam.
Encountering his favoured testing conditions once again on Merseyside, Addeybb was the 11-10 favourite for a 10-furlong contest rendered a little less competitive by the withdrawal of the prolific Wissahickon and tracked his chief market rival Raise You from the off.
As the pace increased, Addeybb gradually asserted his authority halfway up the home straight and found plenty for pressure in the hands of Richard Kingscote to prevail by two and a quarter lengths.
Pondus beat Raise You to the runner-up spot.
Haggas told PA: "I was delighted the rain came as he is a very hard horse to beat in that very heavy ground."
Addeybb was left at 20-1 for the Juddmonte International at York on August 21 by Paddy Power, but the same firm trimmed his odds for the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot in October to 10-1 from 12s.
"I would think the Juddmonte is very unlikely, but we'll see. I think that ground is important to him," the trainer.
"We have him in a few sexy races at the backend of the year."
The Newmarket handler was completing a big-race double on the card, with his 11-10 favourite Miss O Connor having earlier dominated her rivals from the front in the British Stallion Studs EBF Dick Hern Stakes under Oisin Murphy.
Snapped up after winning a Gowran Park maiden for Irish trainer John Feane in May, the four-year-old made a spectacular debut for Haggas with an 11-length demolition job at Nottingham little over a week ago and took the swift step up to Listed class in her stride – passing the post with two and a quarter lengths in hand over Red Starlight.
Haggas said: "Miss O Connor has been a revelation, but the rain really helped as I think that heavy ground is important for her, too.
"I could be wrong, but she clearly handles it very well, so I think we'll be sticking to it if possible."