Australia’s highest-rated horse Anamoe will face two significant international challengers as he seeks a tenth Group 1 win in Saturday’s (8 April) AU$5 million (approx. HK$26.455 million) G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) which will be simulcast from Randwick.

The first is William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour given that the trainer and jockey Tom Marquand combined to win the race in 2020 and 2021 with Addeybb, who upstaged the locals’ champion mare Verry Elleegant on each occasion.

Not to mention that Australia has already seen Dubai Honour’s wares with a spectacular 4.4 lengths win in the G1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on 18 March – the race in which Addeybb finished second and first, respectively, before his Queen Elizabeth Sakes victories.

The second is Japanese front-runner Unicorn Lion, who is prepared by Yoshito Yahagi who has enjoyed extraordinary international success in the past four years with Group 1 wins in Australia, Hong Kong, USA, Dubai and Saudi Arabia.

While no Japanese-trained horse has yet won the race, the past two to contend performed with distinction. Danon Premium was third to Addeybb in 2020 while 50/1 chance Kluger gave champion mare Winx a momentary scare in 2019 when beaten 1.5 lengths into second place.

Anamoe, trained by James Cummings and mooted to head to Royal Ascot after Saturday, is owned by Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin global operation while Dubai Honour is also owned in Dubai by Mohamed Obaida.

Both Cummings and Haggas anticipate a great race with each affording respect to the other.

“We ran Anamoe in the George Ryder Stakes and not the Ranvet Stakes as the preferred lead-up to the Queen Elizabeth,” Cummings said, “And obviously, he would have had to go to a really high level to beat Dubai Honour that day.

“So, now it sets up a mouth-watering clash with Dubai Honour. But not only those two horses – there is the horse from Japan, Unicorn Lion, Cascadian out of the Australian Cup and a horse coming through like Zeyrek. It is always a fascinating set-up for this race.”

Haggas was impressed with Dubai Honour’s Ranvet Stakes win given he feared the ground might have been “too quick” for him.

“All his form in the UK has been on a wet track, but he picked up well and won well. I don’t know the strength of the opposition (that day). They’re decent horses, but in Anamoe he’ll face a real one. It will be an interesting battle.

“Anamoe has won nine group 1 races, and any horse that does that is pretty special. I have the utmost respect for him,” Haggas said.

Unicorn Lion tuned up for the race when he shaded stablemate Ho O Amazon in a gallop on the Kensington Course at Randwick on Tuesday (4 April) morning.

Joao Moreira, fresh from riding two winners at Randwick last Saturday (1 April), will ride Irish Group 1 winner Alenquer for trainer Mike Moroney in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. His mounts also include Sydney Cup hopeful Surefire on whom he won the Group 2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) last Saturday.