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LiveScore Racing News: Haggas admits to tough Balmoral task
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William Haggas is far from confident ahead of Saturday's Balmoral handicap
William Haggas is far from confident ahead of Saturday's Balmoral handicap

William Haggas will send out three in the Balmoral Handicap at Ascot on Saturday but has admitted that he is up against it after describing Sunray Major as a "certainty" to land the finale on the QIPCO British Champions Day card. 

Aldaary, Montatham and Johan are Haggas's three runners in the 20-strong field for the one-mile cavalry charge but the trainer is expecting to settle for the minor places at best, with Sunray Major having managed to qualify for the race. 

John and Thady Gosden's four-year-old made it three wins in four starts by winning a seven-furlong contest at Ascot at the start of the month, with that victory enabling the half-brother to Kingman to squeeze into the race at the bottom of the weights. 

And that win was enough to have Haggas almost admitting defeat before the race has even begun. 

Speaking to Sky Sports Racing, Haggas said: "I'd been desperately trying to knock John's (Gosden) horse out, who I think is a certainty. 

"Montatham and Johan have not got anything in hand weight-wise and Aldaary has got a 6lb penalty and he went up 5lb for a facile success at Ascot. He's a lovely horse, but he'll probably have too much weight. I think John's horse is a good thing." 

Frankie Dettori looks to have been handed a plum ride in the Balmoral Handicap
Frankie Dettori looks to have been handed a plum ride in the Balmoral Handicap

Despite the concession from Haggas, connections of the pre-race favourite have revealed concerns of their own as they feel that the draw could yet work against their charge, who has not been the easiest horse to train. 

Frankie Dettori's mount has been drawn high in stall 21, although Thady Gosden remains hopeful that the son of Dubawi is good enough to overcome the potential obstacle. 

"He's very well bred and we've always liked him, but we haven't had the smoothest of times with him over the last two years," Gosden said. "He's in good form at the moment, but the draw can be important in a race like this. 

"You normally want to be low, so I'm not sure how stall 21 will play out, stuck in the middle of the track. Hopefully, he can overcome that." 

King Leonidas and Magical Morning are two further options for the Gosden team, drawn in stalls eight and 12, respectively.

William Knight's Sir Busker tops the weights and returns to Ascot having impressed there in the past, finishing fourth in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes last year, while he was third in the Queen Anne Stakes at the Royal meeting this summer, behind Palace Pier.

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