William Haggas

Former jockey Lester Piggott, who had been hospitalised in Switzerland on May 22, is improving, daughter Maureen Haggas revealed at Haydock on Saturday. Now 86, the legendary reinsman and 11-time champion jockey has ridden nine G1 Derby winners. A member of the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame, the retired rider boasts 30 Classic victories among his 4,493 total winning rides. Haggas, who is married to Derby-winning trainer William Haggas, said, "I went to see him earlier in the week and he's improving, which is good news. He's much...

William Haggas is hopeful that Maljoom (Ire) (Caravaggio) can make the jump from German Classic winner to Royal Ascot hero when the colt lines out in the St James's Palace S. next month. Maljoom provided Haggas with his third success in the G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen at Cologne on Sunday, following on from Dupont (2002) and Brunel (2004), and the trainer is optimistic that there will be more to come from the colt.  Ridden by Stevie Donohoe, Maljoom was winning his third race from as many starts and, according to Haggas, is...

Few people will go through life fortunate enough to say they have had anything to do with a Group 1 winner--fewer still with one who cost just €18,000 as a foal. But back in 2018, when not many were in a hurry to get behind the little-known Adlerflug (Fr) (In The Wings {GB}), one of the ill-fated sire's most talented sons went through the ring at Arqana for that paltry sum. It was Gerry Burke's eye and pocket who saw something in Alenquer (Ger) long before the horse confirmed himself...

It hasn't been a bad week for William Haggas. The Somerville Lodge stable cat has recently gone AWOL for fear that he might be entered up at Catterick and would have to live up to the extraordinarily rich vein of form currently being exhibited by the larger quadrupeds whose fetlocks he rubs up against during evening stables. Over the last fortnight 41 horses have been sent out by the trainer and 17 of them have returned home with a trophy to add to the cabinet. Most impressively, 10 of those...

The William Haggas show had another stirring episode at The Curragh on Sunday as M M Stables' Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}) came out on top of a thrilling finale to a G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup which will be recalled for some time. Last year's G2 King Edward VII S. winner had lost a front shoe when a gallant sixth in the Mar. 26 G1 Dubai Sheema Classic when last seen, having readily beaten Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) previously in the G3 Winter Derby at Lingfield Feb. 26, and was...

Legendary jockey Lester Piggott has been hospitalised in Switzerland, according to Piggott's son-in-law William Haggas. Haggas is married to the former champion jockey's daughter Maureen. A nine-time G1 Derby-winning rider, the jockey is 86. Haggas told Sky Sports Racing, "I believe he is in hospital and I think Maureen is going over tomorrow to see him. Jamie, his son, is there today. He's battling a bit, but he's a tough man. Hopefully he'll pull through and get home as soon as possible. "All we can do is train plenty of...

William Haggas' Newmarket stable is firing on all cylinders at present and continued its dominance when Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's unbeaten Maljoom (Ire) (Caravaggio) overcame a slow start to maintain his perfect record in Sunday's G2 37th Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen - German 2000 Guineas at Cologne. The April-foaled bay went postward for this first black-type outing coming back off an Apr. 18 all-weather conditions win at Kempton, having made a successful debut over seven furlongs on the Doncaster turf in March. Repeating his slow start at Kempton, the 3-1 second favourite forfeited...

Sunderland Holdings' 190,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling Sea Silk Road (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) backed up a Dec. 15 debut sixth at Kempton with an impressive 5 1/2-length tally going an extended mile at Nottingham in her May 6 sophomore comeback and continued on an upward trajectory with a hard-fought victory in Friday's Listed William Hill Height of Fashion S. at Goodwood. The 11-10 chalk and G2 Ribblesdale S. entry is not engaged in Epsom's G1 Cazoo Oaks, for which this contest has acted as a stepping stone...

Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas has attracted a final field for 14 with Godolphin's Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) the only filly not to stand her ground at Friday's declaration stage. Her absence leaves Coolmore and Westerberg's G1 1000 Guineas third Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), one of four nominees from the Aidan O'Brien stable seeking a fourth straight renewal, as the lone contender representing Newmarket's Classic form. The ante-post favourite has drawn stall three, with stablemates History (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to her immediate...

William Haggas's stable is in scintillating form at present and Sunderland Holding's My Prospero (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) further emphasised that with success in Thursday's Listed Heron S. at Sandown. Sent off the 7-4 joint-favourite alongside the returning G3 Solario S. winner Reach For the Moon (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), the Apr. 16 Newbury maiden winner was settled in third early by Tom Marquand as the other market-leader set off in front. Wound up in early straight, the homebred half-brother to Wednesday's 12-length Listed Rothesay S. winner My Astra (Ire)...

Following his imperious display in the G1 Lockinge S. on Saturday, Shadwell's Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) has emerged fresh and well from that effort, trainer William Haggas announced. Now seven-for-seven, the three-time Group 1 winner is now set for the G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot in June. "He seems fine, he's very fresh," said Haggas. "He was certainly a bit fresh this morning so everything is great. "You always have a race, there's no such thing as an easy Group 1, but he looked to win...

Unbeaten through six starts after annexing last October's G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot, Shadwell Estate Company's 4-year-old homebred and G1 Prix du Moulin hero Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}--Aghareed, by Kingmambo) launched his quest for superstardom by putting a stellar field to the sword in Saturday's G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. at Newbury. Europe's top miler of 2021, and the world's joint-highest alongside Hong Kong's immovable force Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), made relentless progression throughout his perfect sophomore campaign and continued in similar vein to plunder...