William Haggas

William Haggas is charting a path back towards Royal Ascot with Desert Hero (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and nominated the G2 Hardwicke S. as the main objective for the King and Queen's colt before a possible tilt at races in Australia in the autumn. Winner of the King George V S. last term, Desert Hero went on to claim Group 3 honours in the Gordon S. at Goodwood before finishing third to Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) in the G1 St Leger. Haggas had suggested that an Australian campaign...

Friday's AED850,000 G2 Cape Verdi presented by DP World GCC run over 1600 metres on the grass has attracted a field of eight, with a pair of Euro raiders in Mystic Pearl (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Stenton Glider (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) signed on for trainers William Haggas and Hugo Palmer, respectively. The duo ran one-two in the Listed Coral Distaff S. last year. After her July score over Stenton Glider at Sandown, the then-3-year-old was a close third in the G3 Prix de Lieurey, just two heads behind...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Observations features a Night Of Thunder (Ire) half-brother to a pair of Group 1 winners. 12.15 Lingfield, £6,600, Nov, 2yo, 7f 1y (AWT) Shadwell's hitherto unraced WALEEFY (IRE) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) is a homebred son of Listed Prix de Liancourt victrix Aghareed (Kingmambo) and thus a half-brother...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Insights features Noisy Music (Ire), the daughter of G1 Falmouth S. heroine Music Show (Ire) and is the lone filly in a nine-runner field. 12.15 Newcastle, £9,950, Mdn, 2yo, 6f (AWT) Jaber Abdullah's NOISY MUSIC (IRE) (Showcasing {GB}) is a Kevin Ryan-trained daughter of G1 Falmouth S. heroine...

Sunderland Holding's G1 Yorkshire Oaks fifth and G1 Prix Vermeille third Sea Silk Road (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}--Oriental Magic {Ger}, by Doyen {Ire}) added to her victory in June's G3 Pinnacle S. with a decisive three-length triumph for a career high in Saturday's G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu at ParisLongchamp. Employing patient tactics off the tempo in rear for most of the 14-furlong stamina test, the 38-5 chance made smooth headway on the bridle in the straight to seize control entering the final furlong and powered clear of toiling...

The smart G2 Gimcrack S. winner Lake Forest (GB) (No Nay Never) (lot 726) is one of the highlights of the five-day Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale at Park Paddocks in Newmarket from Oct. 23-27. Part of a 1,750-strong catalogue, the juvenile is rated 109 and will be consigned by William Haggas's Somerville Lodge. He currently holds an entry in the G1 Middle Park S. on Sept. 30. Some of the other notable lots include G1 Criterium International victor Proud And Regal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 674) from Coolmore;...

Group 3 winner and Classic-placed Desert Hero (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who races for The King and The Queen, will not travel to Australia and contest the G1 Melbourne Cup in November. Instead, he will be given a break and will return as a 4-year-old. Trained by William Haggas, the son of Desert Breeze (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) won the G3 Gordon S. in August and was third to Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) in the G1 St Leger at Doncaster on Sept. 16. John Warren, racing adviser to the...

It is the time of year when ideas begin to form about the following season's Classics and with Derbys in mind, Saturday's G2 Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford S. at The Curragh offers food for thought. Aidan O'Brien's record in this mile staging post is plain remarkable, even by his standards, with a tally of 21 winners including St Nicholas Abbey (Ire), Saxon Warrior (Jpn), Japan (GB) and Luxembourg (Ire) and the fact that he has a trio engaged in the race he missed out in 12 months ago for the...

Relief Rally (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), the winner of the G2 Lowther S., will take her chance in the G1 Cheveley Park S. at Newmarket on Oct. 30, Anthony Bromley, racing manager for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, revealed on Wednesday. The four-for-five William Haggas-trained bay was also being considered for the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye in open company and versus elders the day after the Cheveley Park. Second in the G2 Queen Mary S. by only a nose at third asking in June, she triumphed in the Weatherbys Super...

The weights for the 133 horses still in the running for the Nov. 7 G1 Lexus Melbourne Cup were released on Tuesday and early 4-1 favourite Vauban (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) was assigned 55kg, 3.5kg below highweight and 2022 Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}). The Willie Mullins-trained 5-year-old former hurdler, who won the G3 Ballyroan S. at Naas last month after taking the Listed Copper Horse H. at Royal Ascot in his first flat attempt in June, sits sixteenth on the weights list. Vauban's stablemate and Ballyroan runner-up...

In 2017 and 2018, Aidan O'Brien won both the St Leger and Irish St Leger, first with Capri (Ire) and Order Of St George (Ire), and the following year with Kew Gardens (Ire) and Flag Of Honour (Ire). Given the dominance of both the trainer and his not-so-secret weapon Galileo (Ire), it has perhaps passed beyond being remarkable that all four of those horses are by the late former champion sire, but it is worth noting nonetheless. This year, William Haggas will attempt to pull off that same staying Classic...

Silver Racing's G2 July S. runner-up Lake Forest (GB) (No Nay Never--Lady Aquitaine, by El Prado {Ire}) was unable to concede weight all round when following up in a Newmarket novices' heat earlier this month and rebounded in style to cause a 16-1 upset for the William Haggas stable in Friday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack S. at York. Comfortable in rear until surging into contention after halfway, he challenged the leading wave underneath the stands' side fence approaching the final furlong and kept on strongly, despite drifting left...