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By Ray Hickson

UK trainer William Haggas unleashes his first Sydney runners for two years at Rosehill on Saturday and while he’s cautious about Purplepay’s Group 1 prospects he’s quietly confident Protagonist can earn a shot at the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Trainer William Haggas. (Pic: Edward Whitaker).

Purplepay makes her Australian debut in the Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) and Haggas said it will give him a good line on where she stands against the locals.

He said she was a high class two-year-old in France and since joining his stable she’s scored a runaway Group 2 win at Chantilly and is best suited to races around a mile.

“She won a Group 2 at Chantilly in mid summer and then we tried her against the older fillies and she just didn’t quite make it,’’ Haggas said.

“We tried her up in trip, I always thought she wanted further but I was wrong. She travelled very well at the Curragh (in the Group 1 Pretty Polly over 2012m) and didn’t get home at all.

“I think this is perfect, around seven and a half (furlongs) and then a mile on the 8th of April.”

Haggas has his eye on the Group 1 $1m Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) on Day 2 of The Star Championships for Purplepay.

He concedes she’ll be better suited with a bit of give in the ground and is keeping his expectations low but from a good draw jockey Regan Bayliss, who was acquainted with the mare in a piece of work at Canterbury on Tuesday, will be able to ride her to her strengths.

“I think she likes to be close to the pace,’’ Haggas said.

“I think that’s quite important. Addeybb was always close to the pace and the other horses we’ve run out there that have been lucky enough to win are like that too.

“I may be completely wrong but I think it’s quite important.

“She’s done very well, I think she will improve for the race and I think she will be better with cut in the ground. I don’t expect her to shine on Saturday but if she does I’ll be thrilled because I think there is some improvement in her.”

Australian Bloodstock purchased Protagonist, along with stablemate Earl Of Tyrone, and Haggas said he’ll run a big race first-up in the Group 3 $350,000 Furphy Sky High Stakes (2000m).

The six-year-old, a winner of five from 23 including successive races around the 2000m journey in the UK summer, brings some strong form into the race as he chased home current Dubai World Cup second favourite Algiers when beaten one length at York on October 8.

“He’s a very nice horse who goes very well. He worked very nicely on Tuesday morning and I think he’s got a chance,’’ Haggas said.

Protagonist is a $51 chance in TAB’s all-in Queen Elizabeth Stakes market but that’s very likely where he’ll be going if James McDonald can get the best out of him on Saturday.

Of course his former star Addeybb won the race in 2020 and 2021.

“We put him in the Queen Elizabeth and my view was lets run him in a lesser race and if he were to win or run really well we will go for it,’’ he said.

“He’s in the Doncaster but he might not get in that with his rating. He’s a 2000m horse. I think he is very well and will run a decent race.”

Haggas also has the highly rated Dubai Honour, an $11 chance, entered for the $5 million showpiece and the trainer said he could tackle the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) next week or wait until the Tancred Stakes.

Meanwhile, Haggas is weighing up whether to tackle the Group 1 $2m Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) first-up with Earl Of Tyrone.

The ⁦@WilliamHaggas⁩ pair of Earl Of Tyrone (leading) & Purplepay having a look around #CanterburyPark.

Purplepay heads to the Coolmore Classic on 11 March & Earl Of Tyrone’s target is the ⁦@SchweppesAus⁩ Syd Cup on 8 April. pic.twitter.com/z8GhsGHvFQ

— Australian Turf Club (@aus_turf_club) March 1, 2023

The gelding is the early favourite for the Cup, at $8, and the trainer feels he’s attacked the race the wrong way in the past having had Young Rascal and Favorite Moon win first-up in Sydney before failing in the big one.

“I’ve made a complete mess of the Sydney Cup so far, I’ve got it wrong,’’ he said.

“Both times they won the Manion Cup and didn’t go on so I think I’d like to run him first-up.

“Jamie and Luke (from Australian Bloodstock) might be tempted to go for the Tancred but I don’t think he can do both, he’s a good horse fresh.

“He ran (second at Kempton Park over two miles) just before he went into quarantine and he impressed me a lot. I think he’s all right.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Coolmore Classic meeting at Rosehill