Patience was rewarded for William Haggas as a slow start to the season was halted by Morshdi’s Feilden Stakes success. The son of Dubawi was friendless in the market, but stayed on strongly to fend off the favourite Poseidon’s Warrior.
Second to the subsequent Prix Marcel Boussac fourth Esna on debut, Morshdi won a York Maiden by a neck on his final two-year-old start. The step up to nine furlongs brought out further improvement, and Haggas was thrilled with his performance. Speaking to Racing TV after the race, via Sporting Life, Haggas said: “He looks like a Thelwell pony. He is a lovely little horse. He has always been a bonny horse. I’m surprised he won today as we can’t have a winner at the moment, but that was nice he won.
“Tom waited a bit as he said that the wind was terrible. When he was in behind he was getting buffeted about. He sat upsides James Doyle for a bit to keep out of the wind, and then he went. I don’t know how much more he has got to offer. Tom felt that was the right distance.”
With no immediate grand plans, Haggas revealed that he is likely to go to Chester with his promising colt. “All year I’ve been saying about Chester for him as he will love it around there” added Haggas. He has got a penalty in that, which is the only downside of winning today. But the Dee Stakes is the race I had in mind. He would love it around there as he is tailor made for a place like that.”
Royal Ascot on the agenda for Poseidon’s Warrior
The Feilden runner up Poseidon’s Warrior ran a gallant race in defeat, providing plenty of optimism going forward. The Sea The Stars colt bolted up five-lengths at Goodwood in October, but couldn’t quite justify favouritism on seasonal debut.
As per Sporting Life, Charlie Appleby said: “William said if he let him go he probably would have gone and won the race. But we didn’t want to let him go because we have seen that bit of keenness about him.
“We saw it at Goodwood, and we have seen flashes of it at home to be fair. Like a few of these horses they are fresh, they are well. But he got him switched off and he is crying out to step up in trip.”
Appleby revealed that Ascot is on the cards, with the likelihood of a run in between as he noted: “He could go to Lingfield for the Derby trial there. York would be a lovely track to go to. But I just think the Dante might be a bit too much for him.
“The race I thought would be for him though is the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot. So let’s see how we get on.”