Caviar Heights to sample Rosehill in 2026 Neville Sellwood Stakes against top local

Assistant to William Haggas, Isabella Paul, who has brought Caviar Heights on a long haul from the UK, struggles to fathom that Rosehill’s toughest rival for the horse is a premier homegrown speedster.

The five-year-old travelled down under with stablemate and seasoned international Dubai Honour, positioning himself for Saturday’s Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m), which also launches the Australian career of $10 million star and latest Group 1 conqueror Barnavara.

“That’s going to be tough for us,” Paul said.

“She is a top class filly. But I’m very happy, I don’t think we could have him in a better place.

“It always helps having Dubai Honour down here because he is such a pro.

“The other horse has followed his lead. I’m really happy with where they’re at. They look fantastic in their coats, they are maintaining their weight well, and I’m really looking forward to Saturday.”

In contrast to Tancred Stakes aspirant Dubai Honour’s extensive Australian background—this his third Sydney sojourn—Caviar Heights is relatively unproven here.

His stakes achievements largely involve Listed contests in Europe, highlighted by a couple of podium finishes for Haggas amid the English winter.

Paul explains he has required patience owing to a proneness “to be a little bit free” on the course and in workouts, but improvement is evident.

“He led on both those occasions, and – we haven’t talked tactics with the boss yet – but I wonder whether we might just try to drop him in,” she said.

“He probably wants to be fairly handy, but he just has that tendency to slightly over-race. We saw it in his last run last season. He led and he was pestered, and it didn’t suit him at all, and he finished fifth of six.

“Hopefully, if we can just get him to do it the right way, he’s got a big future ahead of him.”

Uncommon among Euro imports, Caviar Heights boasts mainly good-track form, complemented by an early career soft placing.

Tom Marquand will ride both Haggas challengers again.

Visit online bookmakers for competitive betting markets for the race in the Neville Sellwood Stakes.