Almeraq quickly left the disappointment of his off‑day at Newmarket far behind, delivering a commanding performance in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock Park. The race began with last year’s champion, Big Mojo, bursting from the stalls and sharing the early lead with Marvelman.
The pace remained honest until the final two furlongs, when the true contest unfolded. Paborus had travelled well and was positioned nicely when the finish line approached, but the moment Almeraq, under the steady hands of his regular rider Tom Marquand, began to accelerate, the outcome was already sealed.
The 9‑4 favourite switched on like a jet engine, pulling away from his rivals and cruising to the line a full four and a quarter lengths ahead. The margin underscored the dominance of a horse that had turned a near‑catastrophic fall into a statement of resilience. The win marks a remarkable reversal of fortunes for the William Haggas‑trained four‑year‑old.
Exactly one year earlier, Almeraq suffered a terrifying tumble in a sprint at York, an incident that effectively ended jockey Jim Crowley’s riding career. "He’s had a lot of patching up since that fall at York, but to see him back in this kind of form is extraordinary," Marquand said. He was filling in for Crowley when Almeraq captured the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, a victory that hinted at the horse’s latent class. Crowley, who has now taken out a training licence, is embarking on a new chapter, and Almeraq has been a key part of that transition.
"That was impressive stuff. We all thought the ground might have been what 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," Marquand added. The Shadwell operation, which owns Almeraq, is clearly delighted. "He is already a dual Group One winner and is only getting better.
He’s a thrilling horse to partner with and a massive asset for the Shadwell team," the trainer’s wife, Maureen Haggas, remarked. All signs point toward the Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint at Ascot on 17 October as his next target, though she hinted that the stable might already be plotting a programme for the following season. "This was always his goal and then hopefully Champions Day, but we hope he stays in training next year – you’d love to have him, wouldn’t you?" Almeraq’s affinity for the ground at Haydock was evident. "He loves the ground," Maureen continued.
"What he did at Royal Ascot on a surface he doesn’t usually enjoy was phenomenal, and now he has conditions that suit him. Tom knows him inside out, and it’s exciting. He’s an incredibly talented horse, and Ascot is the obvious next step." Haggas himself, present at Haydock, echoed the optimism. "I was thrilled to bits.
He won here on fast ground during the Royal meeting, but he looked a 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. "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 some very good horses and it proves Newmarket was a false alarm.
Everything unfolded as Tom wanted. He settled at the back, and at Newmarket he saw daylight and was too keen." Almeraq’s story is a testament to perseverance and careful management.
After the York fall, the horse required extensive veterinary care and a carefully calibrated training regimen to restore his confidence and physical condition. The partnership between Haggas, Marquand, and the Shadwell owners has been meticulous, focusing on incremental steps that rebuilt the horse’s stamina and mental toughness. The result is a sprinter capable of delivering a blistering turn of foot when it matters most. Looking ahead, the British Champions Sprint at Ascot offers a perfect platform for Almeraq to test his speed against the nation’s elite.
The race’s 6‑furlong distance and the likely soft to good ground should play to his strengths, especially given his recent demonstration of versatility across varying surfaces. If he repeats the performance shown at Haydock, a repeat Group One triumph is well within reach, further cementing his status as one of the leading sprinters of his generation. Beyond the immediate targets, the connections are already contemplating a longer‑term campaign. With the horse now proven on both fast and slower ground, there is scope to explore international sprint festivals, perhaps even a foray to the United Arab Emirates’s Dubai World Cup night or the Hong Kong International Sprint.
Such ambitions would not only enhance Almeraq’s global profile but also provide additional opportunities for the Shadwell stable to showcase its breeding and training expertise on the world stage. In summary, Almeraq’s dominant Sprint Cup win signals a full‑circle moment for a horse that once seemed destined for a short career.
From a harrowing fall that ended a jockey’s riding days to a decisive victory that re‑established his place among the sport’s elite, his journey encapsulates the drama and resilience that define top‑level thoroughbred racing. The upcoming weeks will be crucial as his team maps out the next steps, but one thing is clear: Almeraq is back, and he’s ready to continue writing his remarkable story.