One Master© Photo Healy Racing
A Prix de la Foret hat-trick bid is on the cards for One Master following her narrow defeat at Doncaster on Saturday.
The William Haggas-trained mare has claimed Group One glory on Arc weekend in each of the past two seasons and has had a return to Paris top of the agenda throughout the current campaign.
A short-head verdict in a Group Three at Goodwood is her only victory from five starts this term, but she has been far from disgraced on her last couple of outings — chasing home the high-class Safe Voyage at York before being beaten a whisker by Wichita in the Group Two Park Stakes on Town Moor.
Haggas said: “She ran very well. She’s just been unfortunate, but that’s the way it goes.
“She’s come out of the race fine and that (Foret) is the plan.”
One Master is just one of 15 Haggas-trained horses to have finished second since September 3, with six beaten a head or less. He did enjoy an across-the-card double on Monday, however.
Another to go close at Doncaster was Sacred, who was a hot favourite for the Flying Childers after finishing second in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot and the Lowther at York, but she had to make do with minor honours again after being touched off by Ubettabelieveit.
Haggas added: “Sacred was unfortunate as we had to go a bit earlier than we’d planned to beforehand as the race was happening away from her.
“She’ll go for the Cheveley Park Stakes next.”
Both One Master and Sacred were ridden by Tom Marquand, who put the frustrating results behind him to claim a first Classic success aboard the Joseph O’Brien-trained Galileo Chrome in Saturday’s St Leger.
Haggas is proud of the 21-year-old’s achievement, saying: “I was thrilled to bits for him.
“It’s thoroughly deserved. He gave the horse a very good ride and I’m delighted for Tom.”
