The world really could be Lake Forest’s oyster in 2025, as his phenomenal Golden Eagle triumph opens up a raft of options for William Haggas’ Rosehill hero.
Owned by Brighton and Hove Albion supremo Tony Bloom alongside Ian McAleavy, the son of No Nay Never secured well over £2 million in prize money with his successful Australian raid, becoming the first British-trained winner of what is the world’s second-richest turf race.
Lake Forest had never raced beyond six furlongs before his trip to the southern hemisphere, but he took the step up to seven-and-a-half-furlongs in his stride in the Sydney suburbs.
He was still full of running when delivered to strike with a trademark late burst by Cieren Fallon and Haggas is now even considering races at a mile for the lightly-raced colt next year, as the trainer seeks the elusive Group One victory missing from Lake Forest’s CV.
Haggas said: “He was fantastic, what a performance. He’s on his way home actually, he had to go to Melbourne to fly home and he’s on his way to Heathrow.
“He won’t run again this year but he will come back next year with lots of options now as he looked like a mile would be well within his compass which really opens a few doors.
William Haggas trains Lake Forest (Mike Egerton/PA)
“He won a lot of money but still hasn’t won a Group One – even though the monetary-value of the race is Group One level it was actually a conditions race.
“We need to prioritise winning a Group One now, he won a Group Two (Gimcrack Stakes) as a two-year-old and has been second in a Group One (behind Inisherin in the Commonwealth Cup).
“He’s a really useful horse and we can hopefully look forwards to some good days next year.”
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William Haggas proved the trainer to follow at Lingfield on Wednesday as he registered a Listed double in the two feature races on the card with Sea Theme and Doom.
The Somerville Lodge handler has a fine record in both races with the trainer notching his fifth win since 2017 in the BetMGM River Eden EBF Fillies’ Stakes when 6-5 favourite Sea Theme obliged in the hands of Billy Loughnane.
Little over half an hour later Doom gave Haggas his third straight win in the BetMGM Fleur De Lys EBF Fillies’ Stakes with the 5-2 favourite striking with real authority in the hands of Rossa Ryan.
Both fillies have plied their trade at a higher level in recent months and their trainer was delighted to see their class come to the fore and enable his luck to continue in two races he has enjoyed notable success in down the years.
Haggas said: “It’s been a good day and they have both been battling in a higher grade of late.
“It’s the end of the season so it’s quite difficult to know if they are still on song or have had enough but both of them showed up well today.
“They are both probably better than Listed level and they went out and proved that I thought. We have been lucky in these races over the years and they have been really good to us.”
William Haggas’ much-loved Hamish gave connections another reason to be proud when winning the Curragh On Course Bookmakers Finale Stakes.
The eight-year-old is a seasoned campaigner with eight Group Three titles to his name and was most recently seen finishing just half a length behind Francis-Henri Graffard’s King George winner Goliath in the Prix du Conseil de Paris.
His Curragh assignment was a step down in grade to Listed level and he was the 10-11 favourite under Richard Kingscote, but those odds were made to look perfectly justified as he cantered to an easy five-length win.
“I think that’s what we wanted to see and what we know he can do. We got a nice run around from a good draw,” the rider said.
“Mr Haggas asked me to be handy. He did ask me not to be in front too long, so that bit was not ideal, but he got his head down and did everything right. That ground is what they look for with him.
Hamish – the loveable eight-year-old wins the Listed Curragh On Course Bookmakers Finale Stakes for William Haggas 🏆 pic.twitter.com/FreclRR0YN
“He’s mixed it with some very good stayers and has been a very good servant. The Haggas family are very fond of him.”
Mark Fahey’s Rhythm King took home a decent pot in the Curragh On Course Bookmakers Premier Handicap.
Ridden by Dylan Brown McMonagle at odds of 14-1, the four-year-old built on a good success last time out to come home half a length to the good.
Fahey said of the gelding: “He is very tough and genuine.
“I didn’t think today was going to be a day for him as he always wins going around a bend.
“He had a hard enough race in Galway but he’s tough and had a light weight on his back today. He’s not the biggest horse in the world and everything fell right for him.
“It’s great for Claire and Andrew (Lennon, owner-breeders) to win a premier handicap here and he’s one to look forward to for next year.”
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William Haggas and Cieren Fallon hit the jackpot in Sydney as Lake Forest swooped late and fast to land the $10million James Squire Golden Eagle at Rosehill.
French star Lazzat, last seen romping home in the Group One Prix Maurice de Gheest, made a bold bid to maintain his unbeaten record and led entering the final furlong.
However, Fallon drove Lake Forest through a gap on the inside to get up in the closing stages and score by half a length.
The victor picked up over £2.8m in prize money and Fallon said: “Unbelievable. Wow, I can’t believe it. Lost for words.
“Everything went to Plan A. Tuck in, we knew we had a lot of speed and had to save his turn of foot. I thought if we used too much energy early on, we’d have been taking away our turn of foot.
“So I had to ride him quite brave and hope we got a bit of luck. And we got a few gaps up there.”
Lake Forest claimed Gimcrack glory last year and was runner-up to Inisherin in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot this term.
He stepped up to seven and a half furlongs down under and Fallon added: “I had a lot of belief in him. In all of his races, he’d been crying out for a bit further.
William Haggas has a great record in Australia (Mike Egerton/PA).
“I knew with the bend it would allow us to fill him up around the bend. It got a bit tight and I saved as much ground as I could up the inside and he showed his turn of foot towards the end and hit the line very strongly.
“This is remarkable. Money-wise, you can’t beat it. He’s a superstar, he’s such an easy ride.”
Haggas extended his excellent record in major Australian races, having previously enjoyed great success with the likes of Addeybb and Dubai Honour.
Stable representative Isabella Paul said: “Sydney is like a second home now, I hope we might get citizenship at some stage.”
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Economics is a bit “battered and bruised” following his defeat in the Qipco Champion Stakes on Saturday.
William Haggas’ three-year-old went into the contest with a huge reputation having been unbeaten in four starts this season, including the Irish Champion Stakes on his most recent outing.
However, he began to hang under pressure in the closing stages and was eventually beaten three and three-quarter lengths by Anmaat. It was reported by the vet after the race that he had bled from the nose.
“I think he’s fine, he’s a bit battered and bruised but we all are,” Haggas told Sky Sports Racing.
“I know it sounds bizarre, but I couldn’t see him being beaten. I thought he wouldn’t mind the ground, I thought he’d get the trip and gallop on well, so I can’t make any excuses.
“He didn’t win and we’ll have to regroup.
“It didn’t happen, he’s still a good horse in our opinion, with all that went wrong on Saturday, he still wasn’t beaten very far.
“Hopefully with a good winter off, he’ll be back next year to prove it.
“I don’t know what happened, we’ll have to go to work on him and sort it out. We’ll be taking every precaution.”
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Francis-Henri Graffard was left wondering what could have been after Calandagan narrowly failed to add to his Royal Ascot victory in the Qipco Champion Stakes.
The French raider thrived at the Berkshire track on summer ground when dazzling in the King Edward VII Stakes and then put up an almighty performance in defeat when second to City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York.
He was sent off the 6-4 favourite for this mouthwatering clash with Irish Champion Stakes hero Economics, but with soft ground and an unhelpful draw to contend with, Stephane Pasquier had to cutely weave his way to the front with half a furlong to run.
Calandagan was a taking winner at Royal Ascot (John Walton/PA)
However, connections were soon left disappointed and could only watch on as – with what appeared the hard work done – glory was snatched away by Jim Crowley aboard Owen Burrows’ 40-1 scorer Anmaat in the dying strides.
Calandagan’s trainer was proud of his charge’s performance, but was left rueing not only the troubled passage through the race, but also the testing conditions on British Champions Day.
Graffard said: “It was a very good effort and he was stumbling a few times on that ground and as Stephane said, he had to keep asking him to keep going in that ground and it didn’t suit him much.
“Second again – I am so upset. We had a very difficult draw, and in that ground this horse puts in too much effort.
“But we had a very good race, he quickened clear and I thought the race was for us. Then he got caught on the line, so that’s it.
“We didn’t see the winner coming and he met some trouble in running. He probably prefers a mile and a half and being in his own bubble where he can quicken very strongly. Today it was out of his pace and he then had trouble when starting to come with a run and then made his effort, it’s tough.
“He’s a very good horse and this year he has been winning or second all the time, I think he’s a very talented horse. We will give him a nice break now over the winter and hopefully we see him again next year. He deserves a nice break now.”
For William Haggas it is a case of back to the drawing board with Economics after the 2-1 second favourite failed to recreate his Irish Champion Stakes heroics.
Economics failed to fire in the Qipco Champion Stakes (Mike Egerton/PA)
Prior to the race Haggas conceded testing conditions were both an unknown and a worry, but refused to use the ground as an excuse. It was reported by the veterinary officer that the colt – who finished sixth – had bled from the nose during the race.
Haggas said: “He was a bit disappointing obviously, Tom (Marquand, jockey) felt the ground was a bit soft for him but I said I wasn’t going to use that as an excuse, so I’m not going to.
“He seems fine. There was a little bit of blood in his nose so we will sort that out and regroup.”
Marquand was in agreement that his mount was unsuited by the underfoot conditions, but hopes this is just a minor blip in the horse’s career.
The Economics team will have to regroup (Healy Racing/PA Wire)
He said: “It was obviously not the result we wanted it to be, but when you are contending with an unknown like the ground, it is tough. He’s been very good on good to firm ground, but today it just didn’t work out for us.
“Obviously the blood in the nose is a concern, but William and (wife) Maureen are the ones who see the horse every day and I just get on him at the races.
“They know him better than anyone and if there is a problem, they will be fixing it. Hopefully it is nothing serious that is going to impede him being the best horse he can be.”
He went on: “As a jockey you want Group One horses to stay with you and he is top horse, he showed that in the Irish Champion and I’m praying he stays around.”
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Cieren Fallon will maintain his successful partnership on Montassib in the Qipco British Champion Sprint Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
Fallon rides as number two to Tom Marquand at William Haggas’ Somerville Lodge yard, but having been aboard the six-year-old all season, which has brought three wins from four outings, Haggas sees no reason to change a winning team.
His most recent outing was a career-best, a first Group One win in the Sprint Cup at Haydock.
Thankfully for Marquand, Haggas has a very capable second string in Unequal Love, the Wokingham winner who was third at Haydock.
Cieren Fallon has struck up a good rapport with Montassib (Steve Welsh/PA)
“Tom is our rider, but it would be harsh to take Cieren off, he rode him at Doncaster when he won easily, at Newcastle when he won and Haydock. Tom is very understanding,” said Haggas.
Reflecting on Haydock the trainer admits he thought the position in which Montassib found himself at halfway, at the back of the field, would make winning difficult, but he flew home to catch Kind Of Blue, whom Haggas sees as a big danger this weekend.
“I thought he’d do really well to beat Kind Of Blue as he was on the speed at Haydock and maintained that whereas all the others came from behind, so I think Kind Of Blue will be hard to beat,” he said.
“It’s one of those races where you’d probably get a different result every week.
“Unequal Love ran a great race at Haydock. I’d be concerned about really soft ground for her but she’s got nothing else, she’s going to stay in training so she’s going to run whatever. Hopefully it will be fun.
“I always thought Montassib wanted really soft ground and he’s certainly going to get it.
“Of course Montassib has surprised me, but he’s such a relaxed horse I thought he would stay further so I spent about two years running him over further, much to everyone’s astonishment.
“Now I seem to have found his right trip he’s upped his game a bit. You could say that’s he’s still relatively unexposed at six furlongs, so he has surprised me but in the right way.”
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William Haggas has confirmed his Qipco Champion Stakes favourite Economics an intended starter at Ascot whatever the weather on Saturday.
Due to its position in the calendar, British Champions Day can take place on very testing ground and just like 12 months ago, it appears Ascot’s contingency of racing on the inner round course will be needed if there is still heavy ground on the round course at 8am on Thursday.
Economics has only suffered one defeat in his career, on debut at Newmarket last November, and that came on heavy ground.
Since then his career has been one of rapid progression, winning a maiden, the Dante at York, a French Group Two and the Irish Champion Stakes.
“I’m not going to pull him out because of the ground. He’s won on fast ground this year, so we’ll see whether he copes with it,” said Haggas.
“I think he’ll be OK because I think he’s very versatile, but it will be on the top of the list of excuses if it all goes wrong I suppose.
“I’d prefer it to be on the outer course, but it is what it is, that’s the rule they’ve put in place. I never subscribed to that, I’d have been happy to run on the outer course if it was fit but they made a rule – I think it was driven by Sheikh Fahad (Qipco) as he’s the sponsor, which is fair enough.
“The inner course is a bit tight, but jumpers go round there so it’s absolutely fine.”
Looking back to last November, Haggas admits he had no inkling he was dealing with a potential champion at the time.
“He was a nice, big horse, but he was backwards as a two-year-old. He ran a very good race and I loved the way he finished, it was over seven furlongs and I loved the way he came home. A lot of ours run like that first time and then they can improve,” he said.
“We hoped with a good winter on his back he would improve, we fancied him strongly when he ran at Newbury and he won OK, you didn’t see a potential superstar but his last furlong was the best and the form held up.
“He won well and it became a question of where do we go next. It was the Dante and I don’t think any of us saw that coming.”
Up against Group One winner Ancient Wisdom, Listed winners Caviar Heights and Al Musmak and Aidan O’Brien’s Cambridge in that key Derby trial, Economics bolted up by six lengths.
However, despite being installed among the favourites for Epsom, Haggas resisted the temptation.
Economics pulled six lengths clear in the Dante (Mike Egerton/PA)
“At the time it looked a strong race, maybe not so much now but on paper it looked very good. There was Charlie’s (Appleby) horse (Ancient Wisdom), Aidan has Classic types in every trial and there were others,” said Haggas.
“We all love the Derby and we all want to win it, but the only winner we’ve had in the Derby (Shaamit) could hardly put one leg in front of the other the next day and he was a very similar horse.
“I should have been stronger with Khalifa (Dhasmal, owner) back then. He wanted to run in the King George, the horse was coming back to himself and finished third but that just finished him off.
“I think in life if you make a mistake that is fine, but if you make it twice you need telling off.
“Like grown-ups we spoke about it with Sheikh Isa (owner) and Jake (Warren, racing manager) and fortunately they rowed in with our way of thinking.”
Addeybb won the Champion Stakes in front of empty grandstands (Alan Crowhurst/PA)
Haggas won the Champion Stakes in 2020 with the much-travelled Addeybb, although there was one thing missing that afternoon – a crowd.
“The thing about when Addeybb won we were on our own, nobody was there. It was magnificent to win with him because he loved heavy ground, so when they moved to the inner track I was nervous it wouldn’t be soft enough, but he was imperious that day,” said Haggas.
Two years later Haggas looked nailed on to win another with Baaeed. The superstar horse of his day, he was sent off the 1-4 favourite to end his 11-race career unbeaten, but he could only finish fourth to Bay Bridge.
Haggas believes there are no comparisons between the pair, though.
He said: “He’s a different horse to Baaeed. The Derby was the big talking point this year, everyone had an opinion like always. With Baaeed it was when are we going to go a mile and a quarter and as soon as he did and won the Juddmonte then it was a mile and a half, but I never thought he’d be any good at a mile and a half and it was Alpinista’s year (in the Arc) when it was heavy.
“With hindsight I wish we’d taken Baaeed to the Irish Champion because he was fit and well and I think the space between the Juddmonte and Champions Day was a bit too long for a horse that had been in training for a considerable time, but we are all smart after the event.
“Also we were in the running for the trainers’ championship, which as an aside had nothing to do with it as it was Sheikha Hissa’s decision – but I was quite happy he didn’t go to Ireland as it would have won us nothing!”
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William Haggas’ Sky Majesty looks to be bursting with promise for next season after a smart success in the Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte at Chantilly.
The filly is a daughter of Blue Point out of Majestic Alexander, endowing her with a real speed pedigree, as her dam is the producer of four other black-type sprinters, including 2019 Ayr Gold Cup hero Angel Alexander and this year’s Beverley Bullet winner Democracy Dilemma.
Making her debut in a Newbury maiden in late August, the bay got off the mark right away and then stepped up in grade to contest the Group Three Firth of Clyde at Ayr the following month.
There she was a winner again, scoring ahead of Queen Mary third Maw Lam and subsequent Cornwallis runner-up Grande Marques in a field of 13.
Another upgrade in race calibre was then awaiting the filly at Chantilly, as she lined up for the Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte on Saturday, a Group Two six-furlong sprint in which she was the mount of Christophe Soumillon.
Sky Majesty and Callum Rodriguez after winning the Firth Of Clyde at Ayr (Steve Welsh/PA)
On heavy ground, she kept her flawless record intact, defeating the favourite, Patrice Cottier’s Cheveley Park runner-up Daylight, by a length and a quarter, with the rest of the field fairly well-spaced behind them.
“She’s progressed with each run this year and she surprised us a bit when she won first time at Newbury,” said Sean Graham, racing manager to co-owner Tony Bloom.
“Not so much that she won, it was the way she did it. Coming into the race, William said he was happy with her and she was working well – but like all his fillies, she wasn’t going to be given a hard race first time out.
“She sat in fourth with a furlong to go and she picked up, I thought she was going to be third or fourth at best and she went and won.
“I think the horse she beat (Hold A Dream) went and won at Yarmouth and she went to Ayr, she was probably drawn on the wrong side of the track there but Callum Rodriguez gave her a brilliant ride to get her hidden and get a bit of cover.
Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte (Gr2, 2ans, 1200m) @fgchantilly Victoire anglaise de Sky Majesty (Blue Point) qui devance la favorite française Daylight (Earthlight) et la courageuse Une Pointure (Dabirsim). pic.twitter.com/BxqLSxYEbO
“She got up on the line and I think she probably won with a bit more in hand than the winning distance suggests, we were then umming and ahing over whether that would do for the year but William said there was a race in Chantilly for her.
“We were very, very happy with her, she showed an awful lot of guts and great resilience.
“On figures, she wasn’t entitled to beat the favourite and yet she’s gone and done it by over a length and it was probably a deserved margin.
“She’s improved and we’ve talked over whether she will get further, but the dam never raced over five furlongs and most of her siblings haven’t either – I think she is really a five or six-furlong filly.”
Sky Majesty is likely to have run her last race this year, with connections hoping to aim high with her next season after the promise she has shown so far.
“I suppose, touch wood, the next step would be a Group One somewhere. Something like the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot next year would be the obvious target,” said Graham.
“William and Maureen have done a fantastic job with her so far and they’ll make all the decisions and find the right races for her, they do such a good job.”
There have been contrasting fortunes for William Haggas in the Qipco Champion Stakes down the years. But now Economics is ready to write his own chapter in the trainer’s Ascot record book.
It is somewhat hard to believe that only two years after the brilliant Baaeed brought the curtain down on his almost flawless career on British Champions Day, Haggas has another colt of such supreme quality about to embark on his journey to stardom.
The way the son of Night Of Thunder impressively outbattled Aidan O’Brien’s Auguste Rodin in the Irish Champion Stakes showed he is ready carry the mantle of Somerville Lodge flagbearer.
Economics (right) battles to victory against Auguste Rodin at Leopardstown (Healy Racing)
It is testament to the quality of horse Haggas’ Newmarket centre of excellence produces that the 64-year-old is so often a man in demand ahead of Ascot’s end-of-season showpiece, with Economics on the cusp of becoming just the seventh horse to bank both the Irish Champion Stakes and British equivalent in the same year.
“His form is there and he seems very well and as long as he can stay well and run to his best, I think he is sure to run a good race,” said Haggas. “He battled well in Ireland and was tactically good. He fought hard when he had to in a top-class race.”
Despite downing one Ballydoyle Derby winner in Auguste Rodin, Economics is unlikely to face off against the all-conquering City Of Troy, a blockbuster clash that momentarily became a possibility after his dazzling display in the Dante Stakes in May.
However, Haggas has never been one to be swayed by outside noise and with the decision made to skip Epsom, Economics was allowed the time to mature at his own pace while the racing world debated what could have happened if the season’s two best three-year-olds locked horns on the Surrey Downs.
Economics was brilliant in winning the Dante Stakes at York (Mike Egerton/PA)
That patient approach has began to pay dividends with a winning August return in Deauville, shortly followed up by Group One glory in Ireland and win or lose at Ascot, the very best of Economics could be seen next season.
“It’s history and you can’t worry about it,” said Haggas, explaining that once the decision to miss Epsom was made, there was no point thinking ‘what if’.
“What has happened has happened, and what you have done this morning you can’t remove. What you do tomorrow you can change before it happens.
“We just have to look at the horses and train them as we see fit, and hope the owners buy into what we are trying to do. If you look at him, he is a very big horse who should do well with a winter over his back.”
When asked if the Leopardstown triumph was vindication of that decisive early summer call, Haggas added: “Not really, but I was pleased he won a Group One as that makes things a lot easier.”
Tom Marquand guided Addeybb (left) to Champion Stakes glory (Alan Crowhurst/PA)
Economics would become Haggas’ second Champion Stakes winner if successful next weekend, but the handler had to suffer his fair share of defeat in the 10-furlong event before finally getting his hands on the trophy.
Chorist hit the crossbar in 2004 and Addeybb chased home Magical in 2019 before the globetrotting stalwart returned 12 months later to claim top honours.
Even then there was the caveat of Covid-19 to contend with, as Addeybb galloped to success in the shadows of empty grandstands.
“It was great, but it was Covid so a nightmare – nobody was there,” said Haggas.
“The main thing was we were there and we were thrilled. He was a great horse and won some great races for us down the years.”
After Addeybb it was Dubai Honour’s turn to go close in 2021 before the Champion Stakes became the scene of what was expected to be Baaeed’s glorious on-track farewell a year later.
Unbeaten and earning comparisons to Frankel after his scintillating Juddmonte International Stakes success, he was sent off the 1-4 favourite but could not repeat his Champions Day heroics of the previous year as Sir Michael Stoute’s Bay Bridge spoiled the party.
Baaeed earned superstar status (Mike Egerton/PA)
“He didn’t quite get the send-off, but he was a great horse for us,” continued Haggas.
“It was really unfortunate he didn’t win. It’s clever to say we could have run him in the QEII again and we would have run him in the Irish Champion Stakes if we were that clever.”
Now it is Economics’ turn to take centre stage at Ascot, but there will always those who wish the stars had aligned differently and City Of Troy was also heading to Berkshire to share the spotlight, rather than jetting off to the Del Mar sunshine for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on dirt.
“It would have been great to see Economics take him on,” said Haggas.
“You always want to prove your horse is the best one and that is probably never going to happen now this year.”
Cieren Fallon has the chance to add one of Australia’s most prestigious races to his CV having picked up the ride on Lake Forest in the Golden Eagle at Rosehill in early November.
Owned by Brighton & Hove Albion supremo Tony Bloom in conjunction with Ian McAleavy, the son of No Nay Never is trained by William Haggas who himself is no stranger to success in the Southern Hemisphere.
A winner of the Gimcrack at two, the fast-ground lover has gone close behind two sharp operators in his appearances this term, bumping into an on-song Inisherin when second in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, then filling the same position behind Elite Status in Newbury’s Hackwood Stakes.
Lake Forest will have his stamina put to the test in the seven-and-a-half-furlong event, with Fallon acknowledging he will need some good fortune in Sydney’s AUS$10million contest on November 2.
However, not only is it a race that could provide the 25-year-old with a bumper payday, it is one which represents a fine opportunity for Fallon to end the year on a high and add another major prize to his Haydock Sprint Cup success aboard Montassib.
Fallon said: “We’ll need a lot of luck and a nice draw. It’s a big race worth a lot of money and hopefully he acclimatises well.
“He’s got a lot of speed and it’s round a bend, not just a straight. He can be a tad slow away, which isn’t ideal in a big field like that as they tend to go two-by-two, so we need a nice draw and a bit of luck with a couple of gaps up the home straight.
“Racing is a roller-coaster ride and I’ve had some highs and some lows this year, but it’s a great opportunity and hopefully he can perform on the day and things go our way.”
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/276180473-scaled.jpg12802560Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2024-10-13 11:57:302024-10-13 11:57:30Fallon relishing chance to partner Lake Forest in Australian adventure
The resurgent Al Aasy will head to Ascot on Saturday in search of his third victory of the season in the BetMGM Cumberland Lodge Stakes.
A Group One competitor in his pomp, William Haggas’ seven-year-old was a beaten favourite in this Group Three event 12 months ago as Al Qareem took home the spoils.
However, the son of Sea The Stars has rolled back the years in his three outings this term and after winning the Glorious Stakes, treated Al Qareem with disdain when sauntering to the Geoffrey Freer title at Newbury last time out.
He is now out to confirm form over Karl Burke’s defending champion and forms part of a two-strong assault from Somerville Lodge, with Haggas also saddling 2022 winner and stable favourite Hamish.
“Al Aasy has been in great form, had a little bit of time since his last run and I think William is very happy with the horse,” said Angus Gold, racing manager for Al Aasy’s owners Shadwell.
“I hope it’s not too heavy, but I don’t think that will stop him mind you. As far as I know, everybody is pleased with him. He’s in as good form as he’s every been in.
“We ran him back quite quickly after Goodwood with the Newbury race. Having said that, he won them both without having a hard time so hopefully he’s still fresh enough and can give a good account of himself.
“I’d be surprised if that (soft-heavy ground) beats him. He’s a seven-year-old and he’s run on soft ground before, so I don’t think that will be the biggest factor. He’s been an admirable horse for us and hopefully he can win again.”
Al Qareem is the defending champion (Steven Paston/PA)
Since finishing second to Al Aasy at Newbury, Al Qareem has thrived in his preferred soft ground at Chester when defending his Stand Cup crown and attempts to do the double he achieved 12 months ago by adding this prize.
“He’s doing very well, came out of the Chester race very well. He found that very easy and I think he didn’t really get out of second gear for that race,” said Nick Bradley, managing director of owners Nick Bradley Racing.
“100 per cent (he can defend his title). It is going to be difficult against Hamish and Al Aasy, they’ve met a couple of times and they keep beating him. But I’m the most confident I can be.
“Absolutely (it will be a good watch), three very good horses.”
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/277155973-scaled.jpg12802560Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2024-10-04 12:38:522024-10-04 12:38:52Al Aasy called on for another big effort
Economics and Charyn are two of the star names still in contention following the second entry stage for the five Group races on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot.
A total of 151 horses have stood their ground across the Champion Stakes, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, the British Champions Sprint, the Long Distance Cup and the Fillies & Mares Stakes, with several mouthwatering clashes in prospect.
The William Haggas-trained Economics is the likely favourite for the Qipco Champion Stakes as he bids to supplement his victory in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown last time out. He may not have things all his own way, however, with French ace Calandagan chief among his likely rivals.
Calandagan in action at York (Mike Egerton/PA)
Aidan O’Brien’s top-class trio of City Of Troy, Los Angeles and Auguste Rodin are also among the 36 horses still in the mix, but all are being readied for alternative targets, namely the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the Japan Cup respectively. As expected, King George hero Goliath has been taken out.
Roger Varian’s Charyn will bid to put the seal on his excellent campaign in the QEII, having already struck Group One gold in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot and the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville. He was only narrowly denied a top-level hat-trick in the Prix du Moulin on his most recent outing.
Varian said: “He’s in great form and Ascot, where he was very good in the Queen Anne, is the plan.
“He’s had a terrific season and it might have been even better, as he was arguably a bit unlucky at Longchamp in the Moulin, but at the start of the year we’d have been very happy to settle for what he’s already achieved.”
A big smile from Silvestre de Sousa as he returns aboard Charyn in Deauville (PA)
Charyn’s potential opponents among a total of 27 remaining entries include last year’s brilliant winner Big Rock (Maurizio Guarnieri), Metropolitan (Mario Baratti) and Notable Speech (Charlie Appleby).
The October 19 card kicks off with the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup, in which Kyprios is the star attraction, although he must first come through the Prix du Cadran this weekend.
Last year’s Long Distance Cup hero Trawlerman (John and Thady Gosden) is also among the 26 hopefuls for this season’s renewal, as is his Doncaster Cup-winning stablemate Sweet William and the ever-popular Trueshan (Alan King), who claimed this prize in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The new kid on the staying block is Al Nayyir, who was touched off by Vauban on his first start for Tom Clover in the Lonsdale Cup at York in August and confirmed that was no fluke with a runaway success in the Listed Rose Bowl at Newmarket last week.
“Al Nayyir looks to have come out of his race at Newmarket nicely and he looks great, so all being well we are heading to Champions Day with him,” said Clover.
“Luke Morris had felt after riding work on him before Newmarket that he’d come forward for York, but even so I can’t say I expected him to win in quite the style he did.
“You sometimes get exaggerated distances on that easy ground, but with a smooth run I hope we can have a good crack at the Long Distance Cup.”
Kinross (Ralph Beckett), Mill Stream (Jane Chapple-Hyam) and Montassib (William Haggas) are three of 33 going forward for the Qipco British Champions Sprint.
Montassib returns under Cieren Fallon after winning the Sprint Cup at Haydock (PA)
Montassib won the Sprint Cup at Haydock last month, narrowly defeating the James Fanshawe-trained Kind Of Blue, who has since been snapped up by the Wathnan Racing team.
Fanshawe said: “Kind Of Blue has been in good form since his second in the Betfair Sprint Cup and James Doyle came and had a sit on him on Saturday as he’s now owned by Wathnan Racing. The Champions Sprint at Ascot is the plan for him and it’s a race we’ve won before with both Deacon Blues and The Tin Man.
“Kind Of Blue is out of a sister to Deacon Blues and a half-sister to The Tin Man, so he’s their nephew if you like. They were both four-year-olds when they won on Champions Day and Kind Of Blue is only three, but he’s by Blue Point and a big, strong colt. He hopefully has a bright future.”
The Qipco Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes sees 29 remain in contention with high-profile names such as Bluestocking (Ralph Beckett), Kalpana (Andrew Balding), Opera Singer (Aidan O’Brien), Content (Aidan O’Brien) and Emily Upjohn (John and Thady Gosden) all included.
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Owner Saeed Suhail saw his colours carried to victory by two very nice newcomers at Haydock last week as Nardra and Supermodel made winning debuts.
Trained by William Haggas, Nadra cost 440,000 guineas as her dam is a half-sister to The Wow Signal and the Night Of Thunder filly blazed a trail on the way to winning by eight and a half lengths.
Supermodel, also by Night Of Thunder and a Haggas inmate, cost 150,000 guineas from Tattersalls Book Two and the filly, who is from the family of Passage Of Time, cruised to a three-and-a-half-length win.
Wow!
Expensive buy Nardra (Night Of Thunder) is bred to be decent and wins by a long way in this exciting debut for William Haggas, @CierenFallonJr3 and Saeed Suhail pic.twitter.com/xs7TDqw3UY
“It’s up for discussion if they run again, we’ll see how they come out of their races,” said Suhail’s assistant racing manager Philip Robinson.
“They won easy enough so you’d think they’d come back nice, so it’s just a matter of if we decide to go again, where they go. It’s a bit early to say yet.
“The owner is over for the sales next week so we’ll sit down with William and have a chat and see where we go from there. It wouldn’t be beyond all possibilities that they come out again, I know William wouldn’t mind, so we’ll see.”
He went on: “Nardra really quickened. The pair of them had been working very nicely so it was nice to see they took that to the races with them and ran how they’d been working. It was very encouraging.
“Supermodel will have learned a lot, they’ll both come on, they’ve never been asked any real questions at home, they’ve just done everything easily and nicely and William hasn’t rushed them.
“We went there very confident and they both went and won which was lovely.”
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Sky Majesty maintained her unbeaten record with a gutsy success in the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Firth of Clyde at Ayr.
The Group Three contest attracted a field of 13 fillies but only one of them was unbeaten.
Admittedly, Sky Majesty had only had run once but the form had been boosted and she clearly had plenty of potential, so much so she was sent off the 16-5 favourite.
For one so inexperienced she looked very straightforward, with Callum Rodriguez coming down the centre of the track and making his challenge entering the final furlong.
Irish challenger Grand Marques came with a run and the final contender was Maw Lam, who finished third in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, but Sky Majesty held on by a neck and a short head.
Sky Majesty (right) is a Group Three winner after just two runs (Steve Welsh/PA)
Haggas said: “She did really well and she had to be really tough.
“She’s come a long way in a short time, she didn’t win her first race by far and she hasn’t won by far today.
“She did well because she had no experience against some experienced horses, so it was a very pleasing performance so it was good to see.
“I actually think a bit more cut in the ground would suit her better too.
“I suspect she’ll run again but there’s nothing set in stone, possibly the Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte (at Chantilly). That’s a Group Two against the boys but it might be worth a look on October 12.”
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