Welcome to our profile of Trainer William Haggas.
A British trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses, William Haggas has stables at Somerville Lodge in Newmarket, Suffolk. He is Lester Piggott’s son-in-law, a multiple-champion jockey.
He was added to the list of Royal trainers at the beginning of 2013. When Purple Spectrum won a rookie race at Windsor on May 12, 2014, he had trained his first winner for the Queen (Elizabeth II).
He has also trained champion horses like Chorist, Aqlaam, and King’s Apostle. Additionally, he has produced champions in the Topkapi Trophy, German 2,000 Guineas, and Hong Kong Derby.
Find out more about William Haggas in our guide:
Contents
William Haggas Entries
Here are all the William Haggas horses running today and future entries.
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William Haggas Recent Form
Here are all the latest finishing positions for horses trained by William Haggas.
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Key Stats
- Name – William Haggas
- Date of Birth – 23 August 1960
- Birthplace – Skipton, North Yorkshire
- Racing Yard – Somerville Lodge, Newmarket
- Big Wins: Epsom Derby, Epsom Oaks, British Champions Fillies and Mares, Coral-Eclipse, Champion Stakes, Cheveley Park Stakes, Racing Post Trophy, Yorkshire Oaks, Prix de la Foret, Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, Irish Oaks, Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Ranvet Stakes and many more top international races.
- Age – 63 years old
- Nationality – British
Trainer Profile of William Haggas
Haggas is the son-in-law of legendary rider Lester Piggott.
A fine cricketer in his youth, he originally began working in his father’s textile factory but lasted only three months before relocating to Newmarket.
He gained valuable experience working for trainers John Winter and Sir Mark Prescott before setting up on his own and saddling his first winner in 1987.
In 2013 he received Royal approval and was sent horses by Her Majesty The Queen.
He is never afraid to send his horses abroad and has enjoyed remarkable success in Australia with stable star Addeybb.
William Haggas – Key Trainer Stats
Despite training Derby winner Shaamit back in 1996, it is been a slow but steady rise to the top for William Haggas.
He trained only 12 winners in 1997 and did not break 50 winners in a season until 2005.
He has built on those solid foundations, posting a career-best 158 winners in 2017 and topping a century in each of the last nine seasons.
Always a very astute judge of a handicap, Haggas regularly tops a 20% strike rate, peaking at an impressive 27% in 2017.
William Haggas’ Big Race Wins
Shaamit (1996 Derby) and Dancing Rain (2011 Oaks) are the obvious standout victories for Haggas but he has trained many other good winners along the way.
Rosdhu Queen won the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes in 2012 with Mukhadram taking the Eclipse at Sandown in 2014.
Sea Of Class is certainly among the best horses he has trained, the winner of the 2018 Irish Oaks and an impressive winner of the Yorkshire Oaks. She will be best remembered for her unlucky second to Enable in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe from an outside draw.
Addeybb has been the flagbearer for the stable in recent seasons, his victories including the Lincoln Handicap, the Champion Stakes and three Grade 1’s in Australia; twice taking the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and a victory in the Ranvet Stakes.
William Haggas’ – Most Famous Victories
Shaamit went straight to Epsom as a three-year-old where he defeated the favourite Dushyantor and subsequent St Leger winner Shantou. He was beaten on all three subsequent starts but his Epsom victory established Haggas as a trainer who could compete with the best. He had to wait until 2011 for his second Classic success when Dancing Rain won the Oaks under an inspired ride from Johnny Murtagh. The filly later won the British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes at Ascot.
Addeybb has recorded many notable successes but his Champion Stakes win at Ascot in 2020 will always be treasured by Haggas. It was his first Group 1 in the UK, revelling in his favoured soft ground to beat Skaletti and favourite Magical.
Summary of Trainer William Haggas
William Haggas returns consistently good percentages and punters know they are certain to get a run for their money.
He is on course for another highly successful season and is one of our favourite trainers.
