William Haggas is yet to decide whether or not Group 2 winner Muthmir (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) will have another run before the G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. at York Aug. 21. Narrowly beaten in the G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot, he stepped up to six furlongs for the G1 July Cup Saturday, but could only finish ninth behind Muhaarar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}).
“In the end I thought he had a poor draw and people will have probably written him off now,” said Haggas. “He tried to turn left and get cover but by the time he did the race was over. I don't think he enjoyed the track, Dane [O'Neill] said he didn't enjoy running down the hill. We'll aim for the Nunthorpe and possibly give him one run before then, but only possibly.”
Haggas had gone closer earlier in the week with MGSP Besharah (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) who was just touched off in the G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. by Illuminate (Ire) (Zoffany {Ier}).
“She's a very genuine little thing who tries hard,” he told At The Races. “She's a light-framed filly who only weighs 410 kilos but she's all guts and ran with great credit. If she's OK we'll have a go at the [G3] Princess Margaret [S. at Ascot on Saturday week] and if not we'll wait for the [G2] Lowther S. [at York next month].”
Adaay (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), winner of the G2 Sandy Lane S. May 30, has already won two nice races this season but where he runs next will depend on what happens with a couple of other sprinters owned by Sheikh Hamdan.
“The plan was to go for the [G1] Maurice de Gheest [at Deauville] as he's won a Group 2 and there's little point in going backwards,” said Haggas. “Whether he'll take on Muhaarar I don't know, I don't know if he'll run there and Sheikh Hamdan also has Mustajeeb (GB) (Nayef) with Mr [Dermot] Weld and he's planning to go there so the owner has a few balls in that court and he'll have to decide. I'm going to put him in the [G2] Hungerford [S. at Newbury] and possibly try him over seven.”
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