Almeraq quickly left the disappointment of his Newmarket off‑day far behind with a commanding win in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock Park. The previous year’s champion, Big Mojo, broke cleanly from the gates and set a brisk early tempo alongside Marvelman, but the real action unfolded when the field turned for 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 race was effectively over. The 9‑4 favourite flicked on his afterburners, surged ahead of his rivals and stretched the winning margin to four and a quarter lengths, leaving the rest of the field scrambling in his wake. The win marked a stunning reversal of fortunes for the four‑year‑old trained by William Haggas.
Almost exactly a year earlier, Almeraq suffered a horrific tumble in a sprint at York that not only ended jockey Jim Crowley’s riding career but also raised serious doubts about the horse’s future. "He’s had a lot of patching up since that fall at York, and to see him back in such fine form is simply phenomenal," Marquand said after the race.
Marquand had stepped in for Crowley when Almeraq captured the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. "Jim Crowley, who has now taken out a training licence, is embarking on his next chapter – an exciting development – and this horse opened his own new chapter when he returned at Salisbury in the spring.
That was impressive stuff. We all thought the ground might have been the factor that let him down in the July Cup at Newmarket, yet he bounced back at Royal Ascot. Of course, we’re just speculating," Marquand added. The day’s broadcast on Sky Sports Racing also featured a range of other highlights, including jumps action from Bangor‑on‑Dee, a chat with Francis‑Henri Graffard about his stable stars, Friendly Soul’s dominant performance in the Prix Vermeille, Daryz’s powerful preparation for the Arc in the Prix Foy, and a group‑one breakthrough for Saddadd.
"He is already a dual Group One winner and is only getting stronger. He’s a thrilling partner for us and a fantastic asset for the Shadwell operation," Marquand concluded.
Looking ahead, all signs point toward the Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint at Ascot on 17 October as Almeraq’s next target. However, Maureen Haggas, the trainer’s wife, hinted that they might already be plotting a campaign for the following season. "This was always his goal, and then hopefully Champions Day, but we’d love to keep him in training next year – who wouldn’t?" she said. "What we saw today was unbelievable, especially since he prefers firmer ground.
His Royal Ascot run on softer ground was already phenomenal, so now we have conditions that suit him and Tom knows him inside out – it’s exciting," Maureen added. "He’s an incredibly talented horse and Ascot is the natural place for him now." Haggas himself was present at Ascot and expressed his delight: "I was thrilled to bits. He won here on fast ground at the Royal meeting, but he looked a good horse today on 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 a couple of very good horses, proving that Newmarket was a false alarm. Everything unfolded as Tom wanted.
He settled at the back, whereas at Newmarket he got keen and saw daylight too early." Almeraq’s resurgence is a testament to resilience and careful management. After a near‑career‑ending fall, the colt has not only recovered but has also added two Group One victories to his résumé, confirming his status as one of the premier sprinters in the UK. His ability to adapt to varying ground conditions – from the firm turf of Royal Ascot to the softer surface at Haydock – underscores his versatility and makes him a prime candidate for future top‑level sprint contests.
With the British Champions Sprint on the horizon and potential plans for a 2027 campaign already being discussed, Almeraq’s connections are clearly eager to keep the momentum going and to see just how far this talented horse can go.