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By Ray Hickson

As much as William Haggas has stunned Australian racing with his strike rate over the past five years, a win by Dubai Honour in Saturday’s Group 1 $5m Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick could be his most remarkable achievement.

Tom Marquand and Issy Paul after Dubai Honour's Tancred win. (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Haggas has three wins in the flagship race of the Star Championships including Dubai Honour in 2023, but that win was under a completely different scenario – he was essentially a 2000m horse coming off his Ranvet Stakes win three weeks earlier.

In 2025 he’s also coming off a win at Rosehill, this time the Tancred Stakes, but six of his last seven starts, and past two wins, have been over the 2400m.

That’s the challenge Haggas’ rep Issy Paul says is the greatest ahead of the team with Dubai Honour.

Greater than when Addeybb did battle with Verry Elleegant in his success wins of 2020 and 2021 and greater than when Dubai Honour took on Anamoe and left him in his wake two years ago.

“To win a fourth would be amazing, it would be a serious training performance if we can get this done,’’ Paul said.

“He’s not run over 2000m for a while now, it’s been a mile and a half the whole way through.

“If we can get a bit of cut in the ground might blunt the speed of the others which might give us more of a chance of coming back to the 2000m.

“He’s a Group 1 performer at that 2000m trip so there’s no reason he shouldn’t still perform at the top level.”

Tom Marquand is no stranger to the tactical battle the Queen Elizabeth Stakes can be, his masterclass on Addeybb in 2021 is an illustration, and that’s what the 2025 edition will be.

In an ideal world Paul said she’d have liked Dubai Honour, $6 with TAB on Wednesday, to be a bit closer in the gates to Via Sistina but that it’s not necessarily a major negative to be out off the fence.

“She’s obviously very good, I’d have preferred a draw that was slightly further in,’’ she said.

“She’s drawn one which means we’re miles apart but that’s okay.

“If he gets the right run then we should be in for a great race. Tom will get him in the best possible position.”

The more significant factor is that short turnaround from the Tancred Stakes win and keeping Dubai Honour fresh enough to be effective at 2000m.

On that front Paul said he’s bounced through the win at Rosehill, where he downed Duke De Sessa and Vauban, almost like he didn’t raise a sweat and if he is to lower Via Sistina’s colours it’ll be because he’s a true competitor.

That’s what she loves about him.

“Via’s had nearly three weeks and we’ve had 11 or 12 days but he’s very hardy,’’ she said.

Dubai Honour wins the Tancred Stakes

“He’s the coolest character, he’s so easy to deal with.

“He’s seven years old, he’s run a big race last week and we trotted him up for the vet and he was squirming around and won’t stand still.

“He just loves it, he loves training on the track with his ears pricked. He just loves the game and it’s so nice to have a horse like that.”

All the fields, form and replays for Day 2 of The Star Championships at Randwick