Tag Archive for: Sky Majesty

Sky Majesty the Haydock hope for William Haggas in Saturday’s Sprint Cup

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Sky Majesty will bid to give William Haggas back-to-back victories in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock on Saturday, with the trainer opting against running Almeraq in the Group One contest.

The three-year-old Almeraq was a five-length winner of the Ayr Gold Cup Trial last time and with that big handicap later this month already ruled out, Haggas and owners Shadwell were deliberating making a swift leap to Group One level.

However, a smaller step to Listed company is now the plan, with Almeraq to contest the Starman Garrowby Stakes at York the day after Sky Majesty lines up on Merseyside.

Haggas said: “We’re just going to run Sky Majesty at Haydock and Almeraq will head to York on Sunday.

“Any rain is going to suit Sky Majesty well and she’s heading there bang in form.

“Whether that form is good enough we will see, but she goes there fully entitled to take a shot.”

Owned by Brighton and Hove Albion supremo Tony Bloom alongside Ian McAleavy, Sky Majesty has really hit her stride of late with two impressive victories in Ireland which convinced connections to stump up the supplementary fee of £20,000.

The owners’ racing manager Sean Graham added: “Her best run last year was at Chantilly when she won on heavy ground.

“We’re very hopeful she will prove up to Group One level and if there’s going to be plenty of runners you can often need a little luck in running and sometimes the draw can play a part, but we’d be very happy she is heading there in good form and she’s entitled to take her chance.”

With the ground currently described as good, good to soft in places on Merseyside, it could prove the ideal opportunity for the filly to step back up to the highest level while in peak condition.

Sky Majesty also holds a Group One entry for the Qipco British Champions Sprint at Ascot on October 18, with Saturday’s outing set to provide a guide for future targets.

Sky Majesty rafter winning at Ayr last season
Sky Majesty rafter winning at Ayr last season (Steve Welsh/PA)

“You don’t get too many chances to have a crack at a Group One when conditions are in your favour and also she holds an entry in the Group One at Ascot on British Champions Day,” continued Graham.

“So Saturday will tell us if she has a right to run in that or if we’re flying a bit high and it will give us an idea where we’re going to go for the rest of the season as well.”

Sky Majesty is currently a 10-1 chance with the sponsors for the Sprint Cup.

Lake Forest likely to head back to Australia

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Lake Forest is likely to gain another Australian stamp on his passport this autumn after his gallant second in the City of York Stakes.

The William Haggas-trained chestnut enjoyed a lucrative trip to Rosehill in November last year when winning the richly-endowed Golden Eagle ahead of Lazzat, who would later go on to win the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Lake Forest’s own Royal Ascot appearance saw him finish fifth in the Queen Anne, after which he was sixth in the Criterion at York and second in the Lennox at Goodwood.

He stepped back up to Group One level on his return to the Knavesmire at the weekend and ran a fine race under Tom Marquand, coming home half a length behind Never So Brave.

Sean Graham, racing manager to co-owner Tony Bloom, said: “The thing about Lake Forest is that he loves being in a battle, he doesn’t want to see too much daylight and in the race at York earlier in the season (eventual winner) Quinault had everything strung out like the washing.

“The same thing happened in the Lennox but he still ran a blinder as he was the only horse to come from off the pace, that form has stacked up because Jonquil (fifth) went on to win the Celebration Mile.

“We know he wants seven and a half furlongs in a strongly-run race with plenty in it on quick ground, so there are a couple of races for him in Australia in October and November and that will be the long-term plan.

“There’s one in Sydney and then there’s one on the final day of the Melbourne Carnival, both are quite valuable.

“He’s proven he can travel, he’s proven he’s tough as teak and when the ground starts to soften there won’t be much for him here anyway.”

Haggas also trains Sky Majesty for the same owners, with Ian McAleavy co-owning both horses alongside Bloom, and she is another horse in rare form having won the Group Three Ballyogan Stakes at Naas on Sunday.

She was a winner at the same track at Listed level prior to that, and with her liking for some cut in the ground it is likely that Champions Day at Ascot will be a key target now.

The filly won the Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte on heavy ground at Chantilly last term, and having truly hit her stride this year she could bid for a Group One title to add to that Group Two win.

“Tom Marquand said the ground was beautiful at Naas, with a good bit of cut in it,” said Graham.

“I think her main target for the end of the season will be the Champions Sprint on Champions Day at Ascot, hopefully the ground will come up soft then.

“We’ll wait to see how she is before making any decisions, but that would be what we’re thinking.”

Naas triumph has Sky Majesty camp thinking big

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Sky Majesty could be given a second chance in Group One company before the season is out following her Listed success at Naas on Wednesday.

The three-year-old daughter of Blue Point won both a Group Three and a Group Two as a juvenile and was not too far away from the action when eighth in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

Connections felt the prevailing quick ground at the royal meeting was perhaps not to her liking and she showed her true colours back on an easier surface after being sent to Ireland earlier this week, claiming a smart victory in the Yeomanstown Stud Irish EBF Stakes for trainer William Haggas.

Sean Graham, racing manager to co-owner Tony Bloom, said: “We thought she ran well in the Commonwealth Cup, Tom Marquand said she probably wasn’t letting herself down properly on the very quick ground at Ascot.

“Her best run last year, when she won a Group Two, was in France and that was on heavy ground, so we were delighted when the ground was on the easy side at Naas.

“The first couple of races showed a draw bias, you wanted to be drawn high, so we were slightly worried when she was drawn in (stall) two but in fairness to Tom, he got out of the stalls very quickly and I think that made all the difference.”

Sky Majesty was saddled with a penalty at Naas and will encounter similar burdens in races of a similar level, which may push a move towards top-level events when the ground softens.

“She won well there and there are a few options for her now, we’ll wait and see how she comes out of the race and we’d be keen to avoid very quick ground with her again,” said Graham.

“We’re getting rain but nowhere near as much as we need. She carried a 7lb penalty at Naas because she’s a Group Two winner, that makes you want to go for a Group Three but she’d probably still have to carry a penalty.

“We may have to pick and choose where we run her but hopefully she makes into a filly that could run in Group Ones on soft ground at the end of the year.

“We don’t want to get too carried away, but it might have done her confidence a bit of good to get her head back in front again.

“William Haggas is a genius at keeping these fillies ticking over and finding races for them to win so that’s what we hope to do.”