Almeraq quickly left the disappointment he suffered at Newmarket far behind with a commanding win in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock Park. The previous year’s champion, Big Mojo, burst out of the gates and set the early tempo alongside Marvelman, but the real action unfolded when the race entered the final two furlongs. Paborus had been travelling nicely when he entered the scene, yet the moment Almeraq, under the steady hands of his regular rider Tom Marquand, began to assert himself the outcome was clear. The 9‑4 favourite switched on, surged ahead and left his rivals in the dust, eventually crossing the line four and a quarter lengths clear of the field.
The victory marked a dramatic reversal of fortunes for the four‑year‑old trained by William Haggas. Less than a year earlier, Almeraq endured a terrifying fall in a sprint at York that effectively ended jockey Jim Crowley’s riding career. "He’s had a lot of patch‑up work since that York tumble, but to see him back in this kind of form is phenomenal," Marquand said, recalling that he had stepped in for Crowley when Almeraq captured the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. Marquand added, "Jim Crowley, who has now taken out a training licence, has opened a new chapter, and this horse opened his own new chapter when he returned at Salisbury in the spring.
That was impressive work. We all thought the ground might have been the factor that let him down at Newmarket in the July Cup, and he proved his mettle at Royal Ascot, but we’re only playing an opinions game." The Sprint Cup win cements Almeraq as a dual Group One winner and signals that he is still on an upward trajectory.
"He’s already a dual Group One winner and is getting stronger each time we see him. He’s a thrilling horse to have in partnership and a fantastic asset for the Shadwell operation," Marquand enthused. Looking ahead, all signs point toward the Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint at Ascot on 17 October as Almeraq’s next target.
Yet Maureen Haggas, the trainer’s wife, hinted that the connections may already be sketching out plans for the following season. "This was always his aim and then hopefully Champions Day, but we hope he stays in training next year – you’d love to have him, wouldn’t you?" she said. She continued, "What he did today was unbelievable, and he seems to relish the ground. I thought his Royal Ascot performance was phenomenal on a surface he doesn’t normally enjoy, so now he has conditions that suit him and Tom knows him inside out – it’s exciting.
He’s an exceptionally talented horse and Ascot is the obvious next stop." Haggas himself was present at Ascot and shared his thoughts: "I was thrilled to bits. He won here on the fast ground at the Royal meeting, but he looked a very good horse today on the slower going.
He settled nicely and accelerated brilliantly. He’ll be back for Champions Day." Long‑time Shadwell racing manager Angus Gold also weighed in, saying, "Touch wood everything went well – he got the cover and the ground suited him. The gap opened at the perfect moment and he took off. He’s beaten a couple of very good horses and it proves Newmarket was a false alarm.
Everything unfolded as Tom wanted. He settled at the rear, whereas at Newmarket he saw daylight too early and was overly keen." The win not only restores Almeraq’s reputation after the Newmarket setback but also showcases the depth of talent within the Haggas‑Shadwell partnership. After a year of careful rehabilitation and incremental race‑craft, the horse has demonstrated that he can dominate at the highest level under a variety of track conditions. His performance at Haydock, where he accelerated decisively in the final stages, suggests that he possesses both the turn of foot and the stamina required for the short‑distance sprint battles that define elite flat racing.
Fans and pundits alike will now turn their attention to the upcoming Champions Sprint at Ascot, where the firm July surface should suit Almeraq’s proven ability to produce a late burst of speed. If he repeats his Haydock display, he could add a third Group One victory to his résumé and further cement his status as one of the premier sprinters in the British season. Beyond the immediate racing calendar, the broader implications for the Shadwell breeding operation are significant. A horse that can win at the highest level on both fast and softer ground adds considerable value to the stallion prospects within the organization, and Almeraq’s resilience after a serious injury underscores the effectiveness of modern veterinary and training methods.
In summary, Almeraq’s Sprint Cup triumph is a testament to perseverance, expert training, and a jockey partnership that knows how to extract the maximum from a talented thoroughbred. The victory not only rewrites the narrative of his disappointing Newmarket run but also sets the stage for an exciting autumn campaign, with Ascot’s Champions Sprint looming as the next logical challenge for this remarkable four‑year‑old.