William Haggas
Seven Time Classic-winning trainer, William Haggas is one of the most respected trainers in the headquarters of British racing in Newmarket. William spent time with John Winter and Sir Mark Prescott before taking out his own license and training his first winner - Tricky Note (15th April 1987) - from his Somerville Lodge base where he has been since 1987.
Since then, over 2,000 winners have emerged from the yard with the 2021 season being his most successful campaign numerically to date with 180 winners for the year, surpassing 2017's previous record tally of 160 winners. 2024 saw a record year in prize money which saw the team amass over £8,500,000 thanks to another terrific year on the track globally.
The 2024 season was another remarkable year for Somerville Lodge with 142 winners including three Group 1’s in the UK, France and Ireland, courtesy of Dubai Honour, who added to his Group 1 tally in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, Montassib, who landed a first victory at the highest level in the Haydock Sprint Cup and Star three-year-old Economics came out on in a thrilling finish to win the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown. Other notable successes came at Royal Ascot as Unequal Love powered home to win the Wokingham Handicap, maintaining our good record at the prestigious meeting. Group successes came courtesy of Sky Majesty, who remains unbeaten going into the 2025 season, Tiber Flow who landed a first career Group 2 in the Hungerford Stakes. Hamish showed that age isn’t going to slow him down with more Group 3 and Listed wins to his name and Lake Forest gave us more glory down in Australia when winning the $10,000,000 James Squire Golden Eagle at Rosehill.
We finished the season on 142 winners, 30 Stakes winners and over £8,500,000 in prize money and hopefully, there is more to come in 2025.
In 2011 William, who is married to Maureen, daughter of the late great Lester Piggott, became a member of the elite band of trainers to have saddled two Epsom Classic winners when Dancing Rain made all in the Oaks to add to Shaamit’s 1996 Derby victory. William's other Group 1 successes include Mukhadram, Rivet, Urban Fox, Sea of Class, One Master, Addeybb, Alenquer, Sea La Rosa, Dubai Honour, Montassib, Economics and 2022 Cartier Horse of the Year, Baaeed.
William and Maureen have two children. Maryanne who married Adam Peacock in the summer of 2019 and William and Maureen are delighted that the couple have three children. Rafa, Ayla and Rocco, arrived in January 2025. Sam Haggas has successfully launched his own bloodstock agency, Hurworth Bloodstock. Sam's successes included the purchases of Group 1 Winner Urban Fox, Group 3 winner Miss O Connor and American Grade 3 winner I'm So Fancy. (www.hurworthbloodstock.com)
