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By Ray Hickson

Addeybb’s trainer William Haggas has confirmed his star galloper is Sydney bound for his Queen Elizabeth Stakes defence at the 2021 The Star Championships and the trainer himself is hoping to be in town to oversee him.

The seven-year-old is currently in light work in preparation for his second trip down under having increased his reputation in the UK with a Group 1 Champion Stakes win at Ascot on October 17.

Trainer William Haggas. (Pic: Edward Whitaker).

Haggas said on Radio TAB on Tuesday while the Covid-19 situation in England is tricky at the moment he couldn’t be happier with Addeybb and he’s set to target the same two Group 1s he dominated earlier this year.

“He’s great, he’s had his little holiday and he’s back in work,’’ Haggas said.

“Just cantering work at the moment and we will crank him up in January. We’re planning to arrive end of February.

“I hope very much that Covid will allow me to get to Sydney next autumn.”

Haggas sent Addeybb and then stablemate Young Rascal, who beat Mugatoo to win the Manion Cup before an unplaced in the Sydney Cup, to Australia under the care of his foreman Harry Eustace who is now a trainer in his own right.

Addeybb won the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill in March, handing jockey Tom Marquand his first Group 1 win, then produced one of the performances of the autumn as he thrashed Verry Elleegant and star Japanese galloper Danon Premium in the $4m Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).

Those two races are squarely in Haggas’ sights in 2021 and he won't race again until he arrives in Sydney.

“I would love to try him at a mile and a half (2400m) with you in the Tancred but the gap between the Tancred and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes is too short for a European,’’ he said.

“Two weeks, that’s not long enough for us I’m afraid.”

What Addeybb had in his favour in the autumn were the conditions, he’s capable on dry ground but can be lethal when he strikes a wet track.

Haggas revealed he’s keeping a close eye on the weather on a weekly basis and has the fingers crossed nature turns in his favour again.

“This time last year you were experiencing a remarkable drought and my logic was telling me if it was dry for a long period of time it’s going to rain sometime and when it does it will rain,’’ he said.

“I watch the going at every Sydney meeting from now on. There’s a bit of rain around at the moment which means it could be dry come April so who knows.”

Aside from Winx, who won the Queen Elizabeth three years in a row from 2017, Addeybb will be striving to join Grand Armee (2004-05) as the only other horse in almost 60 years to go back-to-back in the autumn's flagship race.

Addeybb and Verry Elleegant share top billing in TAB’s pre-nominations market on the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, run at Royal Randwick on April 10.

Marquand’s star has also risen since his latest stint in Sydney.

He is due to land well ahead of Addeybb and ride through the bulk of the Sydney Autumn Carnival with The Championships scheduled to wrap up the popular jockey’s stay.

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