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Santorini Star sets Haggas Coronation Cup poser

Santorini StarSantorini Star
© Healy Racing Photos

Connections have been left to ponder supplementing Santorini Star for the Coronation Cup after her convincing win in the Betfred Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket.

The William Haggas-trained mare was getting her five-year-old season under way on the Rowley Mile in the Group Two and went off the 9-4 favourite under Tom Marquand.

A resolute one-and-a-quarter-length win over Eydon justified those odds, but left Haggas ruing his decision not to enter her for the Coronation Cup at Epsom and he is now beginning to wonder if she should be supplemented at a cost of £55,000.

“She was second in a Group One last year and she’s just proved that she’s quick enough to win a Group Two,” said Haggas.

Coronation Cup Conundrum for Haggas

“She did it well enough and she won by over a length in the end. When they try you can generally find the right race eventually.

“She doesn’t need to make the running, she just puts her head down and wants to win.

“Those horses are hard to find and with this family, Dreamloper (half-sister) didn’t half improve when she was five so this filly could improve too. That was a nice start to her season.

"I’m just sick that I didn’t put her in the Coronation Cup, we might have to supplement her. We’ll see. It will be discussed. I wish I’d put her in, it would have saved all the aggro."

William Haggas on Santorini Star

“We’re all getting frustrated, we have to get these horses out and get them rolling.

“The Classics are coming soon, Ascot’s coming soon. They need match practice and they need to get fit, you’ve got to run them.”

Late Bloomer Follows Dreamloper Path

Of the quandary now posed by her omission from the Coronation Cup entry list, Haggas added of the Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy-owned winner: “I’m just sick that I didn’t put her in the Coronation Cup, we might have to supplement her. We’ll see.

“It will be discussed. I wish I’d put her in, it would have saved all the aggro.

“I didn’t miss it, I just decided against it so more fool me!”

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