William Haggas’ Mystic Pearl has another Listed strike in her sights in the Snowdrop Fillies’ Stakes at Kempton.

The four-year-old was a winner at this level in the Coral Distaff at Sandown last year and after a Group Three placing in the Prix de Lieurey at Deauville, she headed out to Dubai for the winter.

There she was sixth in the Cape Verdi and fourth in the Balanchine, both at Group Two level, and now she steps back down in grade to start her domestic campaign on the all-weather.

“She’s back in a Listed race, like the one she won at Sandown,” said Philip Robinson, assistant racing manager for owner Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum.

“The two races she ran in out in Meydan were both Group Twos, so we’re dropping back down in class. She worked very nicely last week, so we’re very hopeful.

“She will give a good account of herself I think, and they don’t always act when they go out there (Dubai), they either do or they don’t. I don’t think she was at her best out there, but she worked nicely the other morning anyway.”

James Ferguson’s Many Tears makes a first start for her new stable in the contest after leaving Ger Lyons on a high note.

For Lyons, she was a Listed winner at Dundalk in November when taking the Cooley Fillies Stakes, a victory that leaves her shouldering a penalty at Kempton.

Ferguson said: “She’s in great form and won a Listed race with Ger Lyons, so carries a penalty, but she seems to be training well and this is only the start of her year, so we’re hoping she runs big and we have then got the whole year ahead of us.

“She’s a nice filly and was bought by the Cunninghams to try and get some more black type in Europe, with the eventual plan to maybe be covered and then go down to Australia.”

Ferguson has another contender in the race in Mother Mary, whereas the only Irish challenger is the Joseph O’Brien-trained Adelaise.

Only beaten three-quarters of a length in the Prix Dahlia at Saint-Cloud and then two lengths in the Prix Casimir Delamarre at Longchamp, both Listed races, Adelaise is looking to gain some black type form in the Snowdrop.

O’Brien said: “She’s been a progressive filly for us last season and she has stayed in training with the hope of achieving some black type. This looks a logical starting point for her.”

Simon and Ed Crisford run Choisya in the race, a Night Of Thunder filly last seen winning over course and distance in a handicap ahead of Roger Varian’s Julia Augusta, who reopposes.

Philip McBride’s Zouky, David Menuisier’s Mysterious Love, Gemma Tutty’s in-form Enola Grey and Ed Walker’s Rose Prick complete the field of 10.

Cieren Fallon produced Montassib to perfection in winning the William Hill Cammidge Trophy Stakes at Doncaster.

Content to sit at the back of the field until just over a furlong out, Fallon weaved his way through on the William Haggas-trained 4-1 chance to beat 3-1 joint-favourite Marshman by a neck, with the other market leader Orazio another length and a quarter back.

It did look like Marshman had done enough after hitting the front, but his supporters were sunk by Fallon’s late surge, on a horse who ended last season with victory in the valuable Coral Sprint Trophy at York and is now a Listed winner.

It was Fallon’s first winner since returning from a lengthy injury.

He said: “Last year, he was a frustrating horse for me because I felt I should have won the Ayr Gold Cup on him, but we at least ended the season with a win at York.

“I rode him work the other week and I said to the boss he’d improved again, he’d got quicker. He was such an easy ride today, anyone could have won on him.

“I’m very lucky that I was looked after well at Oaksey House, they’ve spent a lot of hours with me, I took my time as I was off for four and a half months, I didn’t want to come back too soon, I wanted to make sure I was 100 per cent.

“I’ve been back riding out the last three weeks and the boss has put me on some quiet horses to give me some confidence that way. I had a spin yesterday and I feel great, I feel better than ever and I don’t feel like I’ve lost any race-sharpness at all.

“I’m in a really great position, I’m very lucky to be riding horses like this.”

Assistant trainer Maureen Haggas said: “I thought Cieren gave him a lovely ride – it was a bit testing about a furlong out, but he got there.

“He was a talented two-year-old, then early the following year he had a problem with his heart, so he had the whole year off.

“He’s really done nothing but improve since then, he got his act together at the end of last year and he’s carrying on now. I think he needs a bit of cut to be seen at his best.

“We thought he was quite big today, as he had a good blow in his work, but he doesn’t look like he’s had much of a race today.

“He’s a lovely horse, one of those lovely people, so straightforward.”

Nine Tenths continued to demonstrate her ability with a smart success in the BetMGM Lady Wulfruna Stakes at Wolverhampton.

William Haggas’ four-year-old has been faring well on the all-weather over the winter, winning over course and distance on debut before finishing second in both a Newcastle handicap and the Listed Tandridge Stakes at Lingfield.

She was the only filly in a field of six on her return to Wolverhampton and started as the 15-8 favourite under William Buick.

After allowing others to make the running, she pounced on the turn for home and pulled clear of her rivals to prevail by a length and a quarter, leaving Misty Grey in second and Shouldvebeenaring in third place.

“She did everything right there, seven furlongs is probably her trip and she won very well,” Buick told Sky Sports Racing.

“She tries hard, I’m impressed.

“She looked a picture beforehand and she had race fitness on her side, she was very fluent throughout the race – very smooth and relaxed.”

Kingdom Come overcame a slow start to land the BetMGM Lincoln Trial Handicap.

Clive Cox’s five-year-old was partnered by Rossa Ryan and started as the 11-4 favourite after two good runs on the all-weather so far this year, including finishing third behind Dear My Friend at Lingfield last time out.

The gelding rocked backwards in his stall at the start of the contest, however, briefly unbalancing himself and Ryan.

They began the race on the back foot as a result, but Ryan did not panic and weaved through the field to find a more competitive position.

In the the final half-furlong he hit the front and held off the challenging Final Voyage to prevail by a head.

“He has tended to be slow out of the gates, my plan was to jump and go forward and let the pace from out wide come across and get in but it didn’t work,” Ryan said.

“I punted round, I had the horse when I needed him.

“Clive’s held this lad in high regard all the time, always has done, the middle of the season last year didn’t go to plan for him.

“He’s got back on track, I think we would have given Dear My Friend a proper race last time but we went so slow.

“The draw didn’t help and he has to drop in because he’s keen, but Clive has a plan with him this year and he’s really developing into a lovely horse.

“I think when he gets on a bit of fast ground, he’ll be a happy horse.”

William Haggas has decided to keep the King and Queen’s Desert Hero closer to home for his first outing of 2024, with Royal Ascot once again on the agenda before a potential trip to Australia at the end of the year.

The chestnut sparked fabulous scenes last June, providing his owners with their first winner at the big meeting in the King George V Stakes.

He went on to win at Glorious Goodwood and finish third in the St Leger, after which Haggas was contemplating a Melbourne Cup tilt.

That was put on the backburner but the Newmarket handler was considering sending him out to Australia in the early months of the new year, given the success he has had with the likes of Addeybb and Dubai Honour Down Under.

However, those plans have now been shelved and Haggas told RadioTAB Australia: “We decided definitely that His Majesty’s horse will not be coming to Sydney in the autumn.

“We may well come down at the backend of the year in your (Australian) spring, but I just felt he needed a bit more time and they (his owners) concurred.

“Possibly (the Melbourne Cup) or possibly something in Sydney, we’ll see.

“We are going to concentrate on going to Royal Ascot for the Hardwicke Stakes, which will be his first major target.

“He’s done very well this winter. He will benefit from all the time he can get. It’s ‘do we press the button now or wait a bit’ and we plumped for the second option, we’re going to wait a bit.

“He’s pretty useful, he got better and better last year and we think he’s done better again this winter, so I am very pleased with him.”

Haggas will be represented in the big Australian races once again by Dubai Honour, who won both the Ranvet Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes last year before finishing a fine third to Romantic Warrior in the QEII Cup in Hong Kong.

“He’ll go into quarantine on February 15. We’re looking at the same two races as last year,” said Haggas.

“I probably shouldn’t have run him in the Eclipse, as he’d been on the go for a while, but there were only four runners and I thought he ran well for a long way in the Champion Stakes.

“To be honest, his whole summer was based around getting him in top shape to come to you (Australia) in February/March.

“He will be the same horse he was, I hope.

“I’d like him to come back for two years. If all goes well this year and he runs competitively, then basically it will be all the same again.”

Two more could travel with Dubai Honour, as Post Impressionist, winner of the Old Borough Cup, and Mujtaba, last seen finishing second in the Huxley Stakes in May, are both pencilled in.

“Post Impressionist will run in the Sydney Cup, he’s been bought by Lloyd Williams. He’s in really good shape,” said Haggas.

“Mujtaba might well go. I’m really pleased with his condition. He’ll either go Ranvet or Tancred and then hopefully Queen Elizabeth.

“He’s never won a Stakes race, in his only start last year he was second in a Group Two and then got colic.

“He’s a good age, he’s six but has only run nine times in his life.”

Pawapuri successfully stepped up to Listed class with a decisive victory in the Betfred Hat-Trick Heaven Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock.

A dual winner on the Flat for William Haggas, the four-year-old was highly tried by Nicky Henderson on her first two starts over obstacles, running in Grade Two and Grade One company last season.

Having made the most of having her sights lowered on her reappearance in a maiden at Wincanton last month, the daughter of Golden Horn was back up in class in Lancashire and stuck her task well in the testing conditions to repel the challenge of Lunar Discovery by two lengths under James Bowen.

“She jumped well. She missed a couple on the way round when I forced her, but she stayed on well,” said the winning rider.

“It was her first time over two miles three (furlongs) and in the back of my head going down to the last I thought we’ve got another 300 yards left, but she finished well in the end.

“She is a big mare and it wasn’t really the right time for her last season. She has got her black type now, so they can have fun.”

Bowen is looking forward to returning to Merseyside on Boxing Day, having been booked to partner Henderson’s Jango Baie in the Grade One William Hill Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

He added: “Hopefully it will be a big day – I’ve never had a Grade One winner and this will be one of the best chances I’ve ridden in a Grade One.

“Jango Baie is a sharp horse and is a proper two-miler at the moment. He is a nice horse.”

Pawapuri’s stablemate Issuing Authority had earlier belatedly opened his account over obstacles in the Betfred TV Beginners’ Chase.

Just three runners went to post for the extended two-mile contest, and Doyen Star was pulled up after never really threatening to land a telling blow.

Having tracked the pacesetting 11-10 favourite Inedit Star for much of the way, Issuing Authority – placed in each of his four races over hurdles without success – asserted in the home straight and passed the post 15 lengths clear.

“It is hard work out there as it is as deep as you can get. I barely got over the last (fence) to be honest with you,” said Bowen.

“I knew he would have come on for his last run. He jumped really well that day and we stepped him back down to an extended two miles today on this ground. I think that suited him as he is a strong traveller and a good jumper.

“Hopefully he can keep progressing now.”

Following successive wins at Sedgefield, Andrew Hamilton’s El Jefe (15-2) completed his hat-trick in the Betfred Nifty 50 Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle in the hands of Conor Rabbitt.

Hamilton said: “Last year we won the Last Fling (Handicap Chase) with All About Joe, but we lost him in the summer. It is nice to come back to Haydock and get another good winner.

“Last season he never lifted the bridle at all, and I could not find the bottom of it. He has come back this season looking like a new horse. He loves life and that was fantastic.”

Ascot has announced an increase in prize-money for 2024 when the King’s Stand sprint will also be run as the King Charles III Stakes for the first time.

Prize-money for 2024 will be worth £17.5million, an increase of 3.9 per cent on 2023, with Royal Ascot accounting for £10million on its own.

The figure excludes the industry-owned Qipco British Champions Day fixture in October.

Group One races at Royal Ascot will be run for a minimum of £650,000 (up from £600,000) while no race will be worth less than £110,000 at the big meeting.

Royal Ascot 2023 benefitted from the first royal winner since the King’s succession to the throne through William Haggas’ Desert Hero.

Nick Smith, director of racing and public affairs at Ascot, said: “We are pleased to be delivering these prize-money increases in 2024 against a backdrop of uncertainty and an unprecedented number of negative headwinds for the industry. The financial impact on all facets of the industry is already being acutely felt.

“It is, however, crucial for Royal Ascot to maintain its position on the global stage at a time when participants at home and abroad have so many alternative lucrative options away from Britain.

“Whist the main increases have been made to the Royal meeting to enable us to get to £10million for the first time, we have made increases in other areas of the programme as well.

“These include increases to fit with the new Premier fixture structure, including at the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, where there is a particular focus on maintaining full fields.

“Importantly, no race at Ascot will be run for less than in 2023 including at our core (non-Premier) fixtures. This is in spite of a reduction in central funding to this element of the programme, which has therefore required further increases in executive contribution.”

William Haggas has raised the possibility of the King and Queen’s Desert Hero running in Australia in the new year.

A winner at Royal Ascot in June, he then chased Classic glory in the St Leger at Doncaster but with the King and Queen in attendance he could only finish an honourable third.

He was briefly under consideration for the Melbourne Cup which created a real buzz in Australia, but plans were shelved to give him time to recover from his Classic bid.

Now Haggas, who has enjoyed great success in Australia with the likes of Addeybb and Dubai Honour, has suggested the Tancred Stakes, a Group One over a mile and a half at Rosehill in Sydney, could be a viable option.

“We won’t decide until January. They won’t go into quarantine until February 20 and the first race is March 23, I think they would arrive in Australia on March 9,” Haggas told Sky Sports Racing.

“Dubai Honour is going to go and a staying horse called Post Impressionist will go who has been sold to Australian connections.

“We are umming and ahhing about Desert Hero maybe going for the Tancred Stakes, I’m not sure. He’s not thriving at the moment so I’m not sure. He’s just not enjoying the cold but there’s plenty of time, he’s come back in from his holiday so we’ll see.

“We won’t make any decision on him for ages. It’s a long way off.”

The prolific Hamish landed the rescheduled Betfred St Simon Stakes to round off an unbeaten campaign, and star in a treble for trainer William Haggas on the penultimate day of the Newmarket season.

The seven-year-old had won nine of his 17 previous starts for the Somerville Lodge handler in the colours of his father, Brian, with his clear preference for testing conditions meaning he has been raced sparingly over the course of his career.

An ambitious tilt at the King George at Ascot was considered in the summer before the ground went against him and he lined up on the Rowley Mile bidding to make it four from four for 2023 following previous wins this season at Chester, York and Goodwood.

Hamish was the 5-4 favourite to secure a seventh victory at Group Three level in the hands of Richard Kingscote – and those who took the cramped odds will have had few concerns as the market leader travelled powerfully and found plenty for pressure to beat Al Qareem by length and three-quarters.

Maureen Haggas, assistant to her husband, said: “He has had a good year, he’s been great. It is never easy when you have a horse that needs that slow ground. He has had his problems so we have to look after him and I think he has lasted this long because we look after him.

“He can be quite difficult. He got really naughty as a three-year-old and he wouldn’t go anywhere so I started riding him and I’ve ridden him ever since.

“I ride him every day and I know him back to front, but he hates Newbury so I wasn’t too displeased with the race not being down there and being here instead. He is just very argumentative, and you could spend all day arguing with him! I love him to bits, but he barely tolerates me! He is just a real star.

“I hope we see him back next year. As long as he stays in one piece he has got nothing else to do except be a racehorse, then he is going to have to be my hack, so I think he would rather be a racehorse for a while.”

Charlie Appleby’s Romantic Style (3-1) impressed in the Irish EBF “Bosra Sham” Fillies’ Stakes.

A winner on her second start at Yarmouth in September, the daughter of Night Of Thunder took a step up to Listed class in her stride as she extended a length and three-quarters clear of Adaay In Devon in the hands of Danny Tudhope.

“She did it nicely. She travelled into it very well and I thought she did it quite easily,” said Appleby’s assistant Alex Merriam.

“She has got lots of speed. She got a little bit tired at the end, but she was entitled to, as that ground was hard work. It was nice to see her step up on her last run.

“I think after her last run she was entitled to have a go at a bit of black type and she has got that now. We will put her away and see what we have got next year.”

Although Paddy Power introduced Romantic Style at 25-1 for next year’s 1000 Guineas, Merriam feels a sprinting campaign in 2024 is much more likely at this stage.

Merriam added: “I think six furlongs is her trip for the time being. She is a bonny little thing that is straightforward, and she just goes through the motions at home.

“That was only her third run so she is entitled to improve. She has won that now and she is one to look forward to next year.”

Ralph Beckett and Rob Hornby teamed up to win division one of the Betfred ‘Double Delight’ British EBF Novice Stakes with the exciting Zoum Zoum.

The gelded son of Zoustar was the 11-8 favourite to supplement a debut victory at Kempton last month and did so by two and a half lengths.

The runner-up Kikkuli, a half-brother to the great Frankel by Kingman, shaped with significant promise on his eagerly-awaited debut in second.

The Haggas team landed division two with Cieren Fallon-ridden newcomer The Reverend (9-2), while Fallon was also on board his stablemate Laafi, who struck at 20-1 in the Betfred ‘Hat Trick Heaven’ Handicap.

Excitement is building among connections ahead of Sense Of Duty’s crack at the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

Trained by William Haggas, the daughter of Showcasing racked up four victories on the spin before a setback kept her out of action for over 450 days.

Having looked a sprinter to follow prior to her absence, there was plenty of anticipation ahead of her belated return at Newbury last month.

Although only third when racing over a somewhat inadequate five furlongs on that occasion, the Sense Of Duty team were pleased to get a tune-up into the four-year-old ahead of her Champions Day target where opposition includes defending champion Kinross and Julie Camacho’s dual Group One scorer Shaquille.

“It’s a massive day on Saturday and we’re all very excited,” said Richard Brown, racing manager for owner St Albans Bloodstock.

“Andrew (Stone of St Albans) has most of his family and extended family going and we’re hugely looking forward to it.

“I thought she ran very well at Newbury over the minimum distance which would not have been to her liking, but William was very keen to get a run into her with this being the big aim.

“It looks like it is going to be very soft ground which I don’t think will stop her, I think she will like it and we’re excited but we’re also realistic. It will be a big ask.”

Sense Of Duty is still on course for her Qipco British Champions Day assignment, as long as trainer William Haggas is happy with both the filly and conditions nearer the time.

The daughter of Showcasing followed a debut defeat by skyrocketing up the sprinting ranks, with a four-race winning run culminating in an impressive Group Three success in Newcastle’s Chipchase Stakes.

She spent the following 455 days on the sidelines, but was seen returning over five furlongs at Newbury last month, finishing an honourable third to race-fit rivals.

That return was always seen as a stepping stone towards her end of season target – the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes – and connections are hopeful of making the Ascot Group One on October 21, where the four-year-old would be returning to the more suitable distance of six furlongs.

“We’re just giving her a chance to come out of the race and then we’ll discuss things nearer the time, but certainly she was always going to need that first race,” said Richard Brown, racing manager for owners St Albans Bloodstock.

“It was the wrong trip, we knew that, but we got the race into her. She was a bit ring rusty and I thought she actually ran OK under the circumstances and as long as she is fit and well, I don’t see any reason why she wouldn’t be taking her chance (at Ascot) as long as there is some give in the ground – I think that is quite important to her.

“Six furlongs up the hill at Ascot is a completely different day’s work and that will be much more to her liking. I think as long as William and his team are happy with her and she’s in good form, then I would hope that we will get there.”

Tom Marquand has his sights set on what would be a memorable Group One double at Newmarket this weekend.

The prolific Relief Rally takes her chance in the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes, followed soon after by Lake Forest in the Middle Park.

Both juveniles are trained by William Haggas and both are fresh from Group-race victories at the Ebor meeting, where Relief Rally landed the Lowther Stakes and Lake Forest was a slightly more surprising winner of the Gimcrack.

Their big-race jockey said: “Relief Rally has been foot-perfect all season. She is a little battler and has the ability to go with it which is great. I’m looking forward to the weekend as it would be her big opportunity to get a well-deserved Group One on the board.

“Realistically, she probably has to take another little step forward as there are other fillies who will be progressing at the end of the year, but it is a step, not a leap. 

“She has been super versatile everywhere we have gone with her. The way she has done everything else I can’t imagine the track will be a problem. If she takes a small step forward she should be putting up a big performance and that should be enough to win.”

He added: “If she does train on it would be absolutely fantastic as she has not had a killer year where you have emptied the tank.

“She has had every opportunity to have some big dances, and this would be the biggest of them all. 

“With fast two-year-olds you have to enjoy them in the moment and ultimately she has given us a great season. 

“If it backs up to nothing else then so be it, but you can always look back with great fondness as there are not many that can go to those big festival meetings and perform as well as she has.”

In contrast to Relief Rally obliging as the 2-1 favourite at York, Lake Forest was sent on his way at 16-1 for the Gimcrack, having been beaten at 1-3 previously at Newmarket.

Marquand said: “He flashed what he could do up at Haydock on his first start and the July Stakes at Newmarket was similar.

“Getting beat in the novice was the curveball that probably made him completely unfancied in the Gimcrack, but if you went back to that July Stakes form, you probably had to think he was not too far away from having a really good shout in it. 

“It is going to be an extremely tough race and there are those horses that are proven at the top level already, but he is a Gimcrack winner, and you have to be a pretty good horse to do that and hopefully he can continue on that path.”

Before Saturday, Marquand has a high-profile ride to look forward to on Friday with the return of Maljoom in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Joel Stakes.

The Caravaggio colt has not been seen since finishing an unlucky fourth in last year’s St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

“It is great to have Maljoom back on a racecourse. He was an extremely exciting horse but didn’t have things go his way and unfortunately he found a few bumps in the road,” he said.

“I jumped on him the other morning and he felt great. He has been off the track for a long time and you worry he might be a bit rusty, but he feels and looks great and everyone is happy with him.

“Hopefully he can make a good reappearance and show us what he showed before and get back on the right road.

“William had a couple of options for him, but he chose this for a reason, and it looks a good starting place. Hopefully it will be a good gauge as to where he is and what we do in the future with him.

“Fingers crossed this next chapter in his book can be a bit longer than the last one and he can have a clear run at it all.”

William Haggas appears to have found Aldaary an excellent opportunity to open his account for the campaign in the Dubai Duty Free Cup at Newbury on Friday.

The winner of two valuable handicaps at Ascot in two weeks a couple of years ago, the five-year-old successfully stepped up to Listed class in the Spring Trophy at Haydock last season, but that proved to be his only competitive start in 2022.

He has failed to add to his tally since returning from over 400 days on the sidelines, but was unfortunate to bump into subsequent Grade One winner Master Of The Seas in the Summer Mile at Ascot in July and was last seen finishing fourth behind Paddington in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

Dropping down in trip and distance for this seven-furlong Listed event, Aldaary sets a high standard, although one of his biggest threats could prove to be his stablemate Al Mubhir, who has winning form in soft ground and was a big eyecatcher when eighth in the Golden Mile at Goodwood last month.

Haggas said: “They both love heavy ground and it has been a while since we’ve had heavy ground and there has been a race in which they can run.

“I didn’t have either of them in at Sandown this week because I didn’t think the ground would get that bad, but I had them both in at Newbury so they’ll both have to run, which is a shame.

“Aldaary is the best horse of the two but he really loves bottomless ground, it can’t be heavy enough, so I was a little bit disappointed with him against Paddington.

“Both of them want a mile really, but hopefully they’ll run a good race. I don’t really want to run them against each other, but they have biggish targets at the end of the year so they need a run to get back into the groove.”

Streets Of Gold was placed in the Surrey Stakes at Epsom and the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot during the summer, but failed to fire in the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket.

The three-year-old was subsequently gelded and his trainer Eve Johnson Houghton was encouraged by his comeback run when fifth in the Listed Hopeful Stakes last month.

She said: “I’m really happy with him and we’ll take a view on the ground. He won on soft ground last year, so we’ll think about it anyway.

“I was happy with his last run, really pleased, and I definitely think he’s come forward from that.”

Other contenders include Ralph Beckett’s course and distance winner Biggles and the consistent Popmaster from Ed Walker’s yard.

The Haynes, Hanson And Clark Novice Stakes is a race with a rich history, with equine greats such as Shergar (1980), Rainbow Quest (1983) and Nayef (2000) all featuring on the roll of honour.

Nayef, who subsequently won the Champion Stakes, Dubai Sheema Classic, Juddmonte International and Prince of Wales’s Stakes, is one of a record five previous winners of the race for trainer Marcus Tregoning, who is this year represented by Shadwell-owned newcomer Mufid.

Recalling Nayef’s debut win, Tregoning said: “We were pretty confident and in actual fact the reason we ran him in this race was because he was quite tricky in the stalls at home and I thought we might be better running in a conditions race rather than a maiden because there’d be less runners.

“He was a very good two-year-old, obviously, and went on to become a multiple Group One winner, so he was exceptionally good.”

It would be fanciful at this stage to suggest Mufid could go on to scale such lofty heights and Tregoning is just hoping for a positive performance in what will be testing conditions.

He added: “He’s by Lope De Vega, who has obviously had a very good year, and he’s out of a Sea The Stars mare, so he’s always given me the impression a mile will suit him really well.

“It’s his first run and we like him, but it’s a job to know (what to expect) when he’s running on heavy ground first time out.

“I hope he’ll run a nice race, but it’s a good race, as it always is. You’ve got horses in there with winning form on soft ground, but it will be particularly testing, I think.”

Roger Varian’s Defiance is a non-runner, but once-raced maiden winners Royal Supremacy (Andrew Balding) and Blue Lemons (Richard Hannon) take their chance, while King’s Gambit (Harry and Roger Charlton) won on his second start over the course and distance and also features.

Relief Rally is set to head to Newmarket for the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes on Saturday week, rather than travelling to France for the Prix de l’Abbaye the following afternoon.

The William Haggas-trained filly has won four of her five starts to date, her only defeat coming at Royal Ascot where she was beaten a nose by American raider Crimson Advocate in the Queen Mary.

She subsequently dominated her rivals in the Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury before successfully stepping up to the Cheveley Park distance of six furlongs in the Group Two Lowther at York.

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In the immediate aftermath Haggas raised the possibility of his youngster taking on her elders at ParisLongchamp, but connections are favouring keeping her against her own sex and age group on the Rowley Mile.

“The plan is very much to go to the Cheveley Park at this moment in time,” said Anthony Bromley, racing manager for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

“It’s pretty much decision made, obviously other variables can happen between now and then, but at the moment all roads lead to Newmarket.

“It just seems she deserves a go at a Group One and the Cheveley Park is fillies’ only and six furlongs, which seemed to suit well in the Lowther.

“William seems happy with her and there’s no reason not to go to Newmarket really.”

Sense Of Duty is “ready to roll” ahead of her eagerly-anticipated return at Newbury on Saturday.

William Haggas’ filly climbed the sprinting ranks rapidly and brought up a fourth straight victory when claiming Newcastle’s Chipchase Stakes in June last year.

However, injury curtailed her progress shortly after impressing at Gosforth Park and she has spent over 450 days on the sidelines, as connections opted for a cautious approach with their talented speedster.

Having now shown all the signs she is ready for a return to the racecourse, she is booked to reappear in the Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes which her handler won with Hurricane Ivor two years ago.

“She’s obviously had a few little niggles – nothing too serious – and we’ve just been very patient with her,” said Richard Brown, racing manager for owners St Albans Bloodstock.

“We think she’s very good and we’ve just given her all the time she’s needed until William is 100 per cent happy with her, which he is.

“Her work has been very good and it looks like she retains all of her ability. She’s ready to roll and is in great shape, working well and bouncing, and we’re very much looking forward to getting her back on track.”

Sense Of Duty will run over the minimum distance for the first time at Newbury where a bold showing could tee-up a return to further and a first shot at Group One glory in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot on October 21.

Brown added: “We’re not sure if she is going to be ready to win over that trip, but the idea is to run her with Ascot in the back of our mind.”

St Albans Bloodstock look to have a strong hand in the Group Three contest and as well as the returning Sense Of Duty, they are also poised to be represented by Nymphadora.

Trained by Andrew Balding, the four-year-old claimed the City Walls Stakes at York earlier in the season and, often seen at her best when the mud flies, will head to the Prix de l’Abbaye for one final career outing after her trip to Berkshire at the weekend.

“They will probably both take their chance,” said Brown.

“Nymphadora will almost certainly run and then she will have a swansong in the Abbaye before heading to the paddocks.”

William Haggas heaped praise on stable jockey Tom Marquand after the pair combined to win both of the major handicaps on Betfair Sprint Cup day at Haydock.

The Newmarket handler is a rare visitor to the Merseyside venue, so the fact he decided to make the journey north for the biggest day of the track’s Flat season was noteworthy.

His representative in the first of two £100,000 contests on the card was the impeccably-bred Naqeeb (5-2), who produced a battling display in the Get Daily Rewards With Betfair Handicap.

The son of Nathaniel is a half-brother to the trainer’s former stable star Baaeed and the top-class middle-distance performer Hukum, last seen winning the King George at Ascot in July.

Naqeeb will have to go some to scale those heights, but having opened his account with a wide-margin novice win at Kempton last month, he dug deep on his first start over a mile and three-quarters to score by a length and a quarter from Blindedbythelights.

“I thought a mark of 100 was steep for him, but I think he’s improved a bit for going up in trip and I think he’ll be a good stayer next year,” said Haggas.

“He took a while to win. He got mugged by Middle Earth I thought at Newmarket and now look at Middle Earth, who looks to have a likely chance in the St Leger.

“He’s not as quick as Baaeed – I think he wants another mile! How far he’ll go I don’t know, but he’s a big, raw horse whose still got lots to learn and if he can can end up half as good as those two (Baaeed and Hukum) that’ll do me.”

Haggas and Marquand were soon on the mark again, with Post Impressionist (10-1) coming from the clouds to lift the Betfair Exchange Old Borough Cup.

Caius Chorister looked home for all money after moving smoothly to the lead, but Post Impressionist – who had hinted at a return to form when not beaten far in the Ebor at York last month – flew home from the rear to land the spoils.

Haggas added: “Tom said he didn’t want to go early and I was hoping if that was the case they’d go fast and they seemed to do just that. It’s a long way up the straight when they go hard and thankfully he managed to pick them off.

“The first race of any description he’s run properly this year was in the Ebor last time. There was just a glimpse there and we’re delighted he’s come good today.”

Of Marquand, he said: “I’m really sick of saying it, but he’s a top-class rider and a great fellow. He is really hungry, really keen and really strong.

“I don’t know why he doesn’t have six favourites a day like (William) Buick and (Oisin) Murphy have, but Tom will get there eventually – he’s a young guy.

“He rode his 1,000th winner (in Britain) the other day and all I can guarantee you is it won’t take him that long to ride another 1,000.”

The high-class Chindit (5-2) dominated his rivals in the Group Three Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Superior Mile.

Runner-up to Modern Games in the Lockinge at Newbury, Richard Hannon’s charge was upstaged by stablemate The Witch Hunter when favourite for last month’s Hungerford Stakes but showed his true colours this time, passing the post just over two lengths ahead of Light Infantry.

“He didn’t run his race last time at Newbury and he was a bit disappointing, but he was right back to his best and he looked like the Group One horse that I think he is,” said Hannon.

“Mr Poonawalla purchased him to see his mares once he retires from racing and he has now won a Group race at two, three, four and five. He looks right back to his very best form.

“We will certainly look at some nice pots abroad now where there is fast ground. There are a couple of races in Australia and races around two bends over a mile in America and he might even be the sort of horse that gets an invite to Hong Kong.”

Chindit’s rider James Doyle doubled up aboard Mick Appleby’s 4-1 shot Raasel in the Betfair Be Friendly Handicap, while the Listed Betfair Daily Tips On Betting.Betfair Ascendant Stakes went to the Roger Varian-trained Al Musmak.

Successful on his Ascot debut before finding only the exciting Rosallion too strong in a Listed contest on King George day, the 11-4 chance got back on the winning trail with a clear-cut victory over 6-4 favourite Macduff.

Winning jockey Ben Curtis said: “He relaxed lovely down the back and I was just keen not to give them too much rope as they can get away from you here.

“He travelled into it nice and when I gave him one flick he responded and went to the front and saw out the mile well, so I’m very pleased with him.

“He floated across the ground and hopefully he’ll take another step forward after that.”