Trainer William Haggas is warming to the idea of sending his Group Two Hungerford Stakes winner Sacred over to Del Mar in November for the Breeders Cup meeting.
Her two-year-old season was spent running over 5f and 6f trips to decent reward, placing in the Group Two Queen Mary at Ascot (5f), Lowther Stakes at York (6f) and the Flying Childers (5f) at Doncaster, proving her natural speed.
Despite these positive runs, she is bred for further and is related to winning milers, proven when upped to (7f) on her comeback run this season in the Nell Gwyn when landing the contest.
She won readily, despite having dwelt the start, not having a clear run 2f out and idling when hitting the front.
The filly was expected to improve for that run when stepped up to Group One company in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, but unfortunately she could only finish a weak seventh.
Having not been seen since May she returned to the track at Newbury in the Group Two Hungerford Stakes and under a cool ride by Tom Marquand went on to land the spoils with ease.
SACRED was a superb winner of the Group Two Hungerford Stakes yesterday!!!
— The Winners Enclosure (@TWEnclosure) August 15, 2021
It was a great day for trainer for William Haggas who also managed to land Group Two and Three honours in France aswell 👏
What next for this filly?! 👀
Credit @RacingTV pic.twitter.com/NCLXDSIbgK
Haggas has stated that the Prix de la Foret looks the obvious race for her but would not be afraid to take her over to America at the end of the British season for the Breeders Cup meeting.
(Credit ATR) He said: “Before the Foret the only possible is the Park Stakes at Doncaster – but she has to have to fast ground.
“Unfortunately fast ground Arc weekends are few and far between these days.
“I don’t know whether Mrs Thompson would like to travel, but the Breeders’ Cup is certainly something I would consider.
“If she was keen on the idea then we’d go. But if she isn’t then we’ll wait – I think there’s a chance she stays in training next year.”
Haggas added: “Seven furlongs is the worst trip to have a good horse at – it’s a pain.“There is one Group One and four Group Twos, three of which fall in the same month. So you can’t do them all – well, Jim Bolger might!
“There’s then the Park Stakes, and that’s it. So it is a bad distance to have a good horse at, but that’s the way it is.
“I think we’ll try her over a mile again at some stage.”