William Haggas sent out 174 winners last season, collecting £4,237,833 in the process. The team at Somerville Lodge have made a fine start to the 2022 season, operating at a healthy 25% strike rate in recent weeks and are already looking on course for another highly successful campaign. Our expert editor has highlighted 10 runners to follow for the season ahead, along with a new customer sign-up offer at bet365, where you can grab £50 In Free Bets when you sign-up and bet £10.
Baaeed
Despite only making his racecourse debut in June last season at Leicester, BAAEED remarkably finished the year as a dual Group 1 winner after developing into one of the best milers seen anywhere last season. A comfortable winner of the Prix du Moulin on his penultimate start at Longchamp, Baaeed rounded off his three-year-old campaign with an impressive victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on champions day, defeating multiple Group 1 winner Palace Pier in the process.
The four-year-old is likely to return in next month’s Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury and whilst it’s difficult to see anybody troubling him over the one-mile trip, connections will still be keen to step Baaeed up in trip at some stage this season. A full brother to talented Group 3 winner Hukum, William Haggas’ unbeaten superstar is bred to be even better over further and Royal Ascot targets such as the Prince of Wales’s Stakes could be firmly on his agenda this term.
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Candleford
CANDLEFORD could certainly be one to watch out for this season after enjoying a progressive campaign last season for William Haggas. An impressive four-length victory at Windsor over 1m2f on his third start was soon followed by creditable efforts in defeat in valuable handicap contests at Ascot and Newmarket over twelve furlongs. A winner on his final three-year-old appearance at Kempton from a mark of 85, Candleford should continue to make his mark in handicap contests this term and it would be no surprise to see the four-year-old gelding turn up in a race such as the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot later this season.
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Enshrine
A half-sister to talented stablemate Sacred, ENSHRINE ran a race full of promise on her debut at Newmarket’s Craven meeting, finishing behind Roger Varian’s well-touted three-year-old Ameynah. Settled towards the rear of the eight-runner field, William Haggas’ well-bred filly stayed on noticeably well in the closing stages to finish second after all winning chance had gone and certainly went down as one of the eye-catchers of the meeting after that encouraging opening effort. It’s hard to gauge what her future targets will be at this early stage of her career, but there is no denying she appears to be another smart prospect for the team at Somerville Lodge and is a filly of immense potential moving forward.
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Gaassee
GAASSEE went from strength to strength towards the end of last season, winning three of his four starts for the yard. After finishing third on his debut at Lingfield last September, the son of Sea The Stars produced a breathtaking display at Chester, striding clear of six rivals to win by a whopping fifteen lengths over the 1m2f trip. Following that incredible performance, Gaassee had little trouble adding to his tally at Newcastle under a penalty, comfortably seeing off the challenge of Hathlool and justifying odds-on favouritism once more.
Stepped up to 1m4f on his final outing back in December at Kempton, William Haggas’ progressive four-year-old readily came clear of the field by five lengths on handicap debut, defeating subsequent three-time winner Trevolli in the process. Rated 94, connections will be confident Gaassee can continue his rich vein of form this season and remains thoroughly unexposed over a mile and a half.
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Golden Lyra
Despite being seemingly unfancied to make a winning start for connections over 7f, GOLDEN LYRA produced a very smart effort on her opening start at Newmarket last October. Sent off 8/1 in the market, the chestnut filly tracked the keen going leader Streaky Bay before unleashing a smart turn of foot to win going away at the line by five lengths. Although the form of that race is open to question, it was a visually taking performance from Golden Lyra and she will have no trouble staying further in due course.
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Laatansa
Formerly trained with Ed Dunlop, LAATANSA could be one to keep on the right side despite failing to get his head in front in three starts last season. Having finished down the field on debut at Salisbury last September, the son of New Bay faired significantly better at Newmarket on his following start in October. Keeping on well in third on that occasion, Laatansa finished behind two well-regarded individuals in Al Nafir and Cash over one mile. Returning to the Rowley Mile over ten furlongs later that month, the colt again displayed encouraging signs when filling that same position after travelling much the best under jockey Jim Crowley.
Now housed with William Haggas, Laatansa should have little trouble in getting off the mark this campaign for new connections and a mark of 83 could seriously underestimate his true ability in handicaps this season.
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Lysander
Top middle distance events could be on the radar for LYSANDER this season following a promising debut at Newbury over one mile last October. Sent off 11/2 to make a winning start for connections, the son of New Approach travelled supremely well under Tom Marquand but was unfortunate to encounter trouble in running when trying to make inroads on the two leaders ahead of him. Unable to reel in Lionel and Zain Nights on that occasion, William Haggas’ colt still posted an eye-catching finishing effort in third and is very much one to look forward to when he makes his seasonal return as a three-year-old.
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Maljoom
MALJOOM attracted plenty of market support on debut at Doncaster last month, and despite showing clear signs of greenness throughout the 7f contest on Town Moor, the three-year-old colt produced a smart turn of foot in the closing stages to win cosily at the line. Stepped up to a mile just last week at Kempton, the son of Caravaggio made it two from two with another equally smart display to defeat odds-on favourite Saga, quickening up best of all turning for home before being eased down to victory under jockey Tom Marquand. William Haggas’ colt has certainly looked well above average in his opening victories this season and whilst plans remain fluid at this stage of his career, he could be one to look forward to at Royal Ascot later this year.
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Sacred
SACRED enjoyed a productive juvenile campaign back in 2020, winning on debut at Newmarket in the style of a useful filly before finding one too good in three subsequent starts at Group 2 level, including in the Queen Mary Stakes behind Wesley Ward’s winner Campanelle over the flying five furlongs. Disappointing on her final start at two in Group 1 company at Newmarket, Sacred took her form to new heights when returning on reappearance as a three-year-old, striding clear of course specialist Saffron Beach to make a winning return in the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket over 7f.
Below her best when finding the 1000 Guineas trip too far, William Haggas’ talented filly returned back down in trip with a dominant display when landing the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes at Newbury in taking fashion. Not short of speed, the daughter of Exceed And Excel is expected to return over 6f this season as a four-year-old in her bid to land Group 1 honours, and is likely to be aimed at the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
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Substantial
Perhaps not one on many people’s list, however, it’s certainly interesting to see connections have opted to keep four-year-old maiden SUBSTANTIAL in training after making just two starts last season. Out of Siyouni, William Haggas’ gelding made a respectable start to his career as a juvenile back in 2020, making headway in the closing stages, he wasn’t beaten all that far on his debut at Newmarket despite finishing sixth over the 7f trip. Returning from injury as a three-year-old last year, Substantial found the frame in a pair of all-weather contests at Newcastle and Kempton, giving the impression on both occasions that he would relish a step up in trip in time after being outpaced.
Rated 71, the four-year-old has subsequently been gelded and it would come as no shock if William Haggas’ charge is rated significantly higher than that opening mark come the end of the season.
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