William Haggas

GOODWOOD, UK--Wearing a brooch bearing the image of her late father pinned to her robe, Sheikha Hissa Hamdan Al Maktoum greeted the horse who has become, for her, so much more than just the best racehorse in the world.  As the unbeaten Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) returned triumphant for the ninth time, she said, "[He's in] every conversation, every conversation. He's part of my life now. My father bred him. It's a 40-year, even longer, process so it just feels very homey and it's nice to have a...

It takes a real good one to make Goodwood's G1 Qatar Sussex S.--a "Win And You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile--look like a piece of strong work, but then all who assembled on the Downs on Wednesday have come to expect nothing less by now from Shadwell's stellar miler Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Like the champions Rock of Gibraltar (Ire) and Frankel (GB), who stopped off here as they devoured group 1s, the peerless homebred is almost running his own virtual reality race against them by...

Twelve months on from the confirmation of his potency in the G3 Thoroughbred S. at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, Shadwell's Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) returns to the famous Downs as a relative giant as he pursues ever higher ground in Wednesday's G1 Qatar Sussex S. at Goodwood. While his tally of four straight Group 1 wins--in the Prix du Moulin, the QEII, the Lockinge and Queen Anne--is highly commendable, it is still shy of the five achieved by the likes of Dubai Millennium (GB), Enable (GB), Giant's Causeway...

Boasting the best form heading into Saturday's G2 Prix Eugene Adam at Saint-Cloud, Sunderland Holdings' My Prospero (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) was there to be shot at on the front end but proved as game as he is talented to make his class tell under a no-nonsense ride from Tom Marquand. Sent forward from his outside stall to take up the running after the first two furlongs, the William Haggas-trained 3-5 favourite who had been a battling third in Royal Ascot's G1 St James's Palace S. June 14 was soon in...

The victory of the William Haggas-trained Candleford (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) in the Duke of Edinburgh H. at Royal Ascot can be considered one of the outstanding performances during five days of top-class action. The 4-year-old, who was given a 13lb-hike in the weights for that six-length success, returns to the track at Newmarket this Friday, but his resounding win at the royal meeting will live long in the memory of his owner/breeders, the Kieswetter family of Barnane Stud, for a number of reasons. "It's actually a really cool story because...

The Queen's 2023 G1 Derby entry Desert Hero (GB) (Sea The Stars (Ire)--Desert Breeze {GB}, by Dubawi {Ire}) brushed aside early aggravation in Thursday's Tuffx Glass EBF Novice S. at Haydock and closed out the seven-furlong contest with panache to earn 'TDN Rising Stardom' for the relentless William Haggas stable. The 4-1 third choice engaged in light scrimmaging at the break and was detached from the leaders in seventh until easing closer in the straight. Shaken up when moving into contention approaching the quarter-mile marker, he quickened smartly to gain...

St Albans Bloodstock's Sense of Duty (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), successful in the second of two juvenile starts, opened this term with an Apr. 28 Redcar conditions score and went postward for Saturday's G3 Pertemps Network Chipchase S. at Newcastle coming back from a neck defeat of G1 Commonwealth Cup third Flotus (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in Haydock's May 20 Listed Cecil Frail S. last time. Settled off the tempo until coaxed closer after halfway, the 15-8 favourite quickened smartly to seize control approaching the final furlong and powered clear of toiling...

William Haggas has confirmed that Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), the top-rated horse in the world this year on 128, remains on course to reappear in the G1 Qatar Sussex S. followed by a potential step up to ten furlongs for the first time in the  G1 Juddmonte International S. Breaking off from a short holiday to speak to the Nick Luck Daily podcast on Wednesday, Haggas said of Baaeed's future engagements at Goodwood and York, "I think that's the obvious route. We haven't discussed it fully but it...

And breathe. As starting dishes go, few have been tastier than what Ascot served up on day one of the royal meeting, with promise of more to come later in the week. From bargain buy Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) bolting up in the G2 Coventry S. to Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) disappointing in the G1 King's Stand S., there were a huge amount of talking points to emerge from day one. Brian Sheerin examined the big takeouts from a pulsating day's action.   Bradsell the Best Result Imaginable  You would...

Tuesday's curtain-raiser to the Platinum Jubilee Royal Ascot 2022 went as planned, with Shadwell's Baaeed (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) carrying on his winning streak in the G1 Queen Anne S. in the kind of straightforward fashion that is his hallmark. With the G1 Lockinge S. runner-up Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) taking it to him this time up the centre of the track, the 1-6 favourite was forced to engage with that rival more than he had done at Newbury but while the final margin was narrowed, the...

Royal Ascot 2022 will kick off with the cream of the crop, as Shadwell's Baaeed (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) was confirmed Sunday for the meeting's opening G1 Queen Anne S.. William Haggas' unbeaten 4-year-old has six rivals to deal with as he looks to cement his place at the head of the World's Best Racehorse Rankings having got there with an emphatic return win from the re-opposing Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury May 14. It hasn't escaped anyone's attentions that he...

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. Friday's Observations features the returning group winner Mohaafeth (Ire) (Frankel {GB}. 3.30 York, Listed, £60,000, 4yo/up, 7f 192yT MOHAAFETH (IRE) (Frankel {GB}) makes his eagerly-awaited European bow, having blown his chance at the start in the G1 Dubai Turf in March. William Haggas has always held the G3 Hampton...