Race Result:

1st: Dubai Honour (W Haggas/R Moore) - $5.50
2nd: Montefilia (D Payne/D Gibbons) - $4.60
3rd: Mo'Unga (A Neasham/N Rawiller) - $2.90F

Winning Time: 2:02.36 Last 600m: 33.78

Margins: 4½L x 1L

Dubai Honour dominates the Group 1 Ranvet!@WilliamHaggas has done it again - this time with Ryan Moore, who brings up Group 1 win #169!

Bring on the Queen Elizabeth. pic.twitter.com/x2FE6dH0m8

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 18, 2023

 

Winning Trainer: William Haggas (Isabella Paul representing)

On the win: "He's a very special little horse. He probably wasn't at his best last year, but he's definitely back to it now and it's great to see him get his head in front again."

On acclimatising to local conditions: "He just looks amazing, he's really been enjoying the Australian lifestyle. He thinks it's a big holiday and he really really enjoys it."

On handling good vs wet tracks: "He's won on good ground before. He won on good ground at Newmarket but most of his Group form has been on softer ground including the second in the Champion Stakes. We're lucky, we got away with it today. We'd still like some more rain but delighted with the horse, he's been really tough."

On William Haggas possibly picking up another Queen Elizabeth: "God, wouldn't that be nice?"

Winning Jockey: Ryan Moore

On the dominant win: "He had very good form as a three-year-old and last year things didn't quite go his way and William (Haggas) gelded him. William's horses when they come down here they tend to perform very well. He was a level above them really, class told. He picked them up well, the race was dead with 300m to run. Very good performance and I'm very happy with him."

"He's very straight forward, he won that confidently. The race was over with a furlong and a half (300m) to run. First run since October, but he's in very good shape, he put the race to bed very quickly."

On the potential match up with Anamoe: "Anamoe is an incredible race horse, he's got a tremendous record. From what I see he only really tends to do enough so you wouldn't be sure what's in the tank. That will be a different level opposition. I supposed strictly on form Dubai Honour, it would appear that he will give him a good race. When horses win that many Group 1's obviously they've got something a bit extra so you'd always respect them."

On his acceleration: "He's definitely got a sharp turn of foot, to be honest that's the first time I've sat on him. When he was winning in Deauville and Longchamp two years ago he was coming from the back and quickening up. He showed a bit of that speed today."

Beaten Jockeys:

Mark Zahra (Gold Trip): "A bit sharp for him today at 2000m on firm ground."

Nash Rawiller (Mo'unga): "I found him hard to get focused most of the way. Tried to get him up on the bridle from the half mile. He is a big bull going through one of those stages at the moment."

Michael Dee (Bankers Choice): "Back to a handicap with a light weight I think will be right up his alley."

Hugh Bowman (El Bodegon): "I thought he was entitled to do more to be honest."

Dylan Gibbons (Montefilia): "Gallant in defeat. Will take a lot of benefit from that."

James McDonald (Hinged): "She boxed on well. Had a lovely time out in front. Tried hard."