Maljoom, owned by William Haggas, is aiming for the Ascot Paradise Stakes and has a remote chance of competing in the Al Shaqab Lockinge.
The lightly raced five-year-old comes into this season off the back of a strong three-year-old campaign and more than a year off the track.
Maljoom is very talented. In 2022, he won Group Two of the German 2,000 Guineas and finished fourth in the St. James's Palace Stakes after losing by just half a length.
He was seen only once last season, finishing fifth in the Joel Stakes and September. However, he is currently getting ready to make his Ascot debut this coming month in the Listed Paradise Stakes.
Additionally, he has a Lockinge entry, but since the Newbury match is on May 18, he might find that contest comes around too soon.
“He’s going to the Paradise Stakes on May 1 and then we will decide if he goes for the Lockinge,” Haggas said. “I wanted to run him earlier than that so the Lockinge is probably a long shot, but I need to get his show back on the road, he’s in good shape. He’s only run once since the St James’s Palace and he’s very much trying to get his show back on the road. He’s a talented horse but a fragile one, but to be fair to him he’s trained very well this spring.”
On the first turf season weekend, stablemate Montassib started the season strongly by winning the Cammidge Trophy at Doncaster ahead of Marshman. However, the runner-up was soundly defeated in the Abernant the following outing.
Haggas' runner might be met with the Duke of York, and French competitions are also on the table.
“He needs a bit of cut in the ground and he’s in the Duke Of York, he might go there,” the trainer said. “The form of his race at Doncaster fell in a heap in the Abernant the other day and he could go for a Listed race at Chantilly on May 14 – we might do that. One Haggas runner that will not be seen on a racecourse again is Sense Of Duty, a talented Group-winning mare whose career has been cut short by an injury. “
“Regrettably, I think she has fractured her pelvis, so she will sadly be retired,” Haggas said. “It’s very frustrating for Andrew Stone who owns her, but she will make a broodmare for him. It’s always horrible for a trainer when you know a horse has talent and you never get to the bottom of her.”