Dubai Honour full steam ahead to QE II Cup after Randwick romp

William Haggas’ sights remain firmly on a Hong Kong return with Dubai Honour after the five-year-old made a mess of his rivals in Saturday afternoon’s Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,000m) at Randwick in Sydney.

Fourth behind Japanese ace Loves Only You in the 2021 Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m), Dubai Honour will call into Sha Tin on the way back to the United Kingdom to take on hometown hero Romantic Warrior and the Japanese in the Group One QE II Cup (2,000m) on April 30.

“The horse is in a good frame of mind, he looks great and I couldn’t be more thrilled. We’re very keen to go to Hong Kong on the way home and run him at the end of April in the QE II,” Haggas said.

Dubai Honour surged clear in the final 200m to defeat Mo’unga by two and a half lengths, with nine-time Group One winner Anamoe in third.

Back in the field was Hugh Bowman aboard the 10th-placed El Patroness, with the star Hong Kong-based jockey walking away from The Championships empty-handed.

Bowman has spent the past week in Sydney, riding at both days of The Championships while attending to some personal matters, and his best result on Saturday was a fifth aboard Arts in the Group One Australian Oaks (2,400m).

After missing the past two Hong Kong meetings, Bowman re-enters the fray with 10 rides on Sunday’s 11-race card at Sha Tin.

The 42-year-old partners Courier Wonder in the Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m) and Beauty Joy in the Group Two Chairman’s Trophy (1,600m), while his best winning chances look to come from the likes of Joyful Prosperity, We Are Hero, Happy Golf and Solid Impact.

Bowman has developed a very profitable relationship with the Manfred Man Ka-leung-trained We Are Hero in recent months, winning three times from as many attempts.

The five-year-old shoots for a hat-trick of wins in the Class Three Hong Kong Lions Cup (1,000m) down the Sha Tin straight. We Are Hero has drawn nicely in gate 11, but he has to lump top weight of 135 pounds.

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