The Meeting That Stands Alone: Haggas on Royal Ascot, Five-Day Festivals and the International Picture

William Haggas described himself as fabulously unsuccessful at Royal Ascot with characteristic self-deprecation, but in the same breath confirmed he will be sending a strong team to the meeting this year. Speaking to BOYLE Sports , he ran through his intended runners across the week with his usual blend of dry wit and sharp assessment, making clear which horses excite him most and which are there for the experience.

Beyond the runners, Haggas gave his verdict on why Royal Ascot stands alone in the global racing calendar and why the royal presence is not merely ceremonial but genuinely central to what makes the meeting what it is. He also weighed in on whether the meeting should stay at five days, delivering a clear verdict on whether Cheltenham should follow suit.

The question of Royal Ascot's place in the broader international picture was also explored, with Haggas reflecting on the growing American interest in British racing, the decline of Hong Kong owners on these shores, and why he has enormous admiration for the Japanese approach to international competition.

The Ascot Runners

Queen Anne And King Charles III

We have left both More Thunder and Lake Forest in the Queen Anne . More Thunder is an intended runner. We caught Notable Speech at Newbury on a good day. He has had the occasional off day, so we are hoping, not for Charlie Appleby but for us, he has an off day at the Royal Meeting , and then we would have a chance. Lake Forest is unlikely; he is more likely to go for the six-furlong race on the Saturday .

For the King Charles III Stakes , we had four entered, now reduced to two. Almeraq , who wants six furlongs, and First Instinct , who is not good enough. She has not been at her best yet this year, but she will run because she was kept in training to run in that race and give everyone a bit of a day out. She is perfectly entitled to be there.

Jersey, Hunt Cup And Commonwealth Cup

We have nothing in the St. James's Palace Stakes . Needle Match was sore after the Guineas ; he is on his way back but is not really for Ascot . Extremely Zain might go for the Jersey Stakes . He would be a 33-1 pop for the Jersey , and he probably ought to go pot-hunting and then possibly have a shot at a better race later on. Eternal Force will run in the Royal Hunt Cup if it is soft with cheekpieces. High Degree possibly; he pulled too hard last time at Newbury .

He is a talented horse, but probably will not get in. Scoville is going to run, all being well. Sabre Strike is going to go either for the Commonwealth Cup or the Jersey ; Division will go for the Commonwealth Cup . Zooming is out. Song of the Clouds has gone wrong, and Lilt is going for the French Oaks . For the Wokingham , Binhareer will run. Power Fizz is not ready. Montassib is doubtful, and Realign will not get in.

We have had the odd winner, but the handicaps are really difficult, and the Stakes races are Stakes races. We will have a runner in most of the handicaps, but More Thunder , Lake Forest , Earth Shot possibly in the Ribblesdale , and possibly Sabre Strike or Extremely Zain in the Jersey are nice horses. They are good horses.

Royal Ascot's Global Status

There Is No Place Like It

Royal Ascot is our flagship meeting. Both the Oaks and the Derby are very important races, but Royal Ascot is where the world comes to England , either viewing on the television or coming themselves. All those people that come have a wonderful experience, and there is something about the pomp and ceremony. The royal presence is absolutely crucial in the whole of this. That is what many people come for, and that is the only reason they come.

So many people I know from outside England come and keep ringing me up saying, Do I have to wear a penguin suit? I always say no, you do not, but if you do not, you will feel stupid. A lot of people, especially the girls, like to dress up, and I think that is part of the whole thing. I think Ascot do it brilliantly.

It is a fun, happy place. Most people are in really good form, the racing is of a genuinely high quality, there are usually lots and lots of runners, and everyone is pleased to be there. It is a fantastic five days, incomparable to anywhere else in the world. There is no place like it and everyone in the world is jealous of what this is.

Five Days And Cheltenham

I think there are enough horses to make the five days viable at Royal Ascot . You can get international runners from Japan or the Middle East , and you also get Germany , France and America coming. Cheltenham is basically England versus Ireland . I would not like Cheltenham to go to a fifth day. I think it would be greedy.

There are races that give everyone a chance of having a runner with a chance, and a race like the Buckingham Palace Stakes , the seven-furlong handicap, we get every week, every Saturday , but there is not one as competitive as the one at Royal Ascot , and that is where people want to go.

International Racing

America, Hong Kong And Japan

What has improved in America is grass racing. For the last few years, the Americans have come and bought healthily at our Book One sales at Tattersalls . They regularly take back home 50 yearlings across the water a year from that sale. The dirt racing is on the wane over there, and I think it will come under severe pressure from welfare organisations. Grass is a much better surface. Ascot's been a huge part of that.

The relationship between the US owner and English racing is as strong as ever. Where it has fallen down a bit is in the Far East , Hong Kong in particular. There used to be a lot more Hong Kong owners racing in England . Now there are very few, and I think that is because Hong Kong racing has gone from strength to strength and there is enough money and enough decent horses running around there to not have to leave those shores.

The Japanese are different and are much more adventurous, especially the likes of Yoshito Yahagi . They will come, and they will win the Arc one day, and they will win at Royal Ascot as well. They could easily stay at home, but they are adventurous, they are brave, and they are leaders in that from an international point of view.

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