Almeraq Completed a Story of Resilience with a Memorable Triumph in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes

The horse representing Shadwell achieved an extremely close victory on the closing day of Royal Ascot 2026

BERKSHIRE, England (Special for Turf Diario).– Great victories usually hide special stories behind each winning post. That of Almeraq in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (G1-1200 m, turf) had all the possible ingredients: talent, patience, recovery, and emotion.

The Shadwell homebred responded with an extraordinary performance to defeat several of the best sprinters in the world and give William Haggas one of the most important conquests of his career. With Tom Marquand in his reins, the son of Dark Angel prevailed in an electrifying finish that had four top-level horses separated by just centimeters.

The Australian filly Joliestar (Zoustar) seemed headed for victory when she took command upon entering the final furlong, but behind her, the Japanese contender Satono Reve (Lord Kanaloa), the French-trained Stolen Kiss(Chachnak), and Almeraq himself were closing with immense force.

The 4 arrived almost aligned at the wire, although it was Almeraq who managed to stretch his neck at the right moment to defeat Satono Reve by a minimal margin. Joliestar finished third just a neck away, while Stolen Kiss completed the main quartet another head behind.

The result carried a special meaning for the entire team at Somerville Lodge. Less than a year ago, in a listed race held at York, Almeraq suffered a severe fall after clipping heels with another competitor. In that accident, jockey Jim Crowley, the horse's regular pilot and one of the most important professionals in British racing, was seriously injured.

Since then, the recovery was slow and patient. Haggas never rushed the timings and the horse only reappeared last month, when he won the Cathedral Stakes (L) at Salisbury. What happened this Saturday exceeded even the most optimistic expectations.

"We always thought he was a G1 horse," Haggas explained. "After the fall at York, he needed a lot of time to regain his confidence. We took him slowly throughout the spring and he responded in a fantastic way. He is a big, powerful horse and still lightly raced, so we believe he will keep improving."

The trainer also highlighted the emotional value of the triumph for the Shadwell silks: "I am delighted for the whole team. Winning a G1 at Royal Ascot is something tremendously difficult, and doing it with a horse that went through everything he went through makes it even more special."

Marquand did not hide his feelings either after crossing the line: "My first thought was for Jim Crowley," he confessed. "This horse and he suffered terrible accidents last year. Jim should have been on top of him today because this was always his horse."

The rider added that he still perceives that Almeraq continues to regain confidence after that experience: "At times he seemed uncomfortable between horses, but he wasn't tired; he was simply still learning to trust again. He has a lot of talent and I think today was another huge step in his evolution."

Crowley, present at Ascot, followed the race with mixed emotions: "We always believed he was G1 class," he commented. "To see him come back that way after such a heavy fall is incredible. Of course, I would have loved to be riding him, but I am very happy for everyone who worked to bring him back."

The defeat left positive impressions for the international visitors. Joliestar fully confirmed her category by fighting out the finish until the final meters, while Satono Reve verified that he belongs to the world elite of sprinting.

However, the afternoon belonged to Almeraq. A horse that came close to losing everything at York and who now, just a few races later, found the ultimate reward on the most prestigious stage of European horse racing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXwlZ-JAFhY