Tiber Flow targets Group One success
Tiber Flow is set to target Group One success in the Prix de la Forêt after continuing his resurgence over seven furlongs with a victory in the Hungerford Stakes.
Trained by William Haggas, the five-year-old has been a consistent performer in the sprinting ranks, securing the Carnarvon Stakes at three and winning Newcastle’s Chipchase Stakes in the summer of 2023.
His career seemed in jeopardy earlier this season after a dramatic fall at York, where he clipped heels and somersaulted, sending jockey Tom Marquand to the ground. Miraculously, Tiber Flow emerged from the incident unharmed. Since being stepped up to seven furlongs, he has thrived, winning the John of Gaunt Stakes in his first attempt at the distance and recently adding the Group Two prize at Newbury.
With a preference for softer ground, ParisLongchamp on the first weekend in October appears to be the ideal venue for Tiber Flow’s Group One bid, with trainer Haggas hopeful that Jon and Julia Aisbitt’s gelding will deliver.
Haggas described Tiber Flow as “a lovely horse,” noting that it was a significant win given the team’s recent near-misses. “It’s a case of luck in racing; we’ve had a few near-misses this year, but this was a big win for us,” he remarked.
He indicated that Tiber Flow will likely remain at seven furlongs for now. While the horse is still entered in the Champions Sprint and that race might be considered, the next planned outing is the Prix de la Forêt.
Haggas expressed confidence in Tiber Flow’s potential at that level, highlighting his preference for softer ground. “He deserves a chance at that level and loves a bit of ease in the ground. We were concerned that the ground in the Hungerford might be too fast for him, but thankfully it wasn’t.”
A day before Tiber Flow’s Hungerford triumph, Haggas introduced the promising Jewelry, which made a sparkling debut in the Sheikh Isa silks, following a big-race victory by Economics in France.
Plans for the daughter of Wootton Bassett remain flexible, but Haggas is optimistic about her potential and is considering a step up to stakes company, potentially targeting the Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes at Salisbury on September 5.