Almeraq was a absolute steamroller and now boasts two G1 victories
- Turf Diario
- 21 hours ago
- 3 min read
The son of Dark Angel put his subpar performance in the July Cup well behind him with a formidable 4 1/4-length victory in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock; the British Champions Sprint now looms as the next target for one of Europe's premier sprinting stars
HAYDOCK, England (Special for Turf Diario).— It had been simply too bad to be true. Almeraq entered the Betfair Sprint Cup (G1-1200 m) with the mission of proving that his lackluster performance in the July Cup (G1) was merely a bump in the road, and he needed very little time to erase any lingering doubt.
The William Haggas trainee delivered a fantastic exhibition at Haydock, trouncing a field of established sprinters by 4 1/4 lengths to secure the second top-flight victory of his career, following his breakthrough triumph in June in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot.
It was a commanding performance—the kind that immediately opens the door to wondering just how much higher his ceiling might be.
With Tom Marquand back in the irons, the Shadwell representative found the setup he needed this time around. The softer ground suited him to perfection and, crucially, he was able to travel covered up and relaxed, precisely the opposite of what had transpired at Newmarket.
Big Mojo (Mohaater), winner of the race twelve months ago, broke like a shot from the gates and quickly established the early pace alongside Marvelman (Invincible Spirit). Almeraq, meanwhile, bided his time.
With about 400 meters remaining, Paborus (Recoletos) made a promising move and for a brief moment looked like a threat. But then Marquand found the seam he needed.
And it was race over. The moment Almeraq saw daylight, he accelerated with devastating power. In a matter of strides, he went from held up to opening a decisive gap, leaving his rivals in his wake to hit the wire 4 1/4 lengths clear.
The victory also carried a deeply emotional resonance. Almost exactly one year ago, Almeraq had suffered a horrific fall at York, an accident that ultimately proved decisive in Jim Crowley's decision to bring down the curtain on his riding career.
Nursing the horse back to form was no easy task. “A lot of work went into rebuilding his confidence after that fall, so to have him back at this level and see him do something like this is phenomenal,” explained Marquand, who had also filled in for Crowley when Almeraq secured his first G1 at Royal Ascot.
That previous success had come over ground considerably firmer than ideal, which made his subsequent failure in the July Cup all the more puzzling. There, Almeraq raced far too freely without cover, overprofessionalizing and expending his energy prematurely.
At Haydock, the script was completely flipped. “Everything went the way Tom wanted. He settled behind horses, whereas at Newmarket he was left exposed and pulled too hard,” analyzed Angus Gold, long-time racing manager for Shadwell.
For Maureen Haggas, wife and integral member of the trainer’s operation, the explanation was equally straightforward: when Almeraq gets his conditions, his raw talent shines through in full force.
“He is a truly gifted horse,” she noted, while expressing hope that he might remain in training through 2027.
For now, the immediate next target is all but locked in.
The Qatar British Champions Sprint (G1), scheduled for October 17 at Ascot, looms as the logical next chapter in his campaign. There, he will aim to wrap up his season by adding a third G1 crown and cementing his stature among Europe's elite sprinters.
A year ago, Almeraq’s future was clouded with uncertainty following that brutal fall.
Today, the story is entirely different.
He boasts two G1s on his résumé, has just demolished his rivals at Haydock, and appears to be getting better with every start.
Almeraq is back. And he has returned as a top-tier sprinter.
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