William Haggas unveiled two really exciting fillies at Newbury on Friday, with Sentaril winning the Coln Valley Stud Bridget Maiden Fillies’ Stakes over seven furlongs and Vow making an impressive last-to-first debut in the first division of the Whitley Stud Maiden Fillies’ Stakes over ten furlongs. Last year the second division of the same race was won by the stable’s Dancing Rain en route to victory in the Oaks.
William Haggas, right, with wife Maureen and her father Lester Piggott
Both Sentaril and Vow hail from families that Haggas knows well, and they have strong connections to members of his own family. The Lael Stable homebred Sentaril, a three-year-old daughter of Danehill Dancer, is out of the stable’s former crack sprinter Superstar Leo, who was bred by Haggas’s father-in-law Lester Piggott in partnership with ROA Vice President Tony Hirschfield.
The trainer’s father Brian has been a good source of staying stock for Somerville Lodge in recent years, with three members of his broodmare Frog’s family currently resident in the stable. Newcomer Vow is her three-year-old daughter by Motivator, who was sold to race for Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, and she lives alongside her stakes-winning half-brothers Harris Tweed (by Hernando) and Beaten Up (by Beat Hollow).
Interviewed on Racing UK, Maureen Haggas confirmed that the lightly-raced Beaten Up, last seen racing in the Dubai Sheema Classic, had been part-sold to Australian owners through the winter and will be campaigned with possible tilts at the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup in mind.
Sadly, Brian Haggas lost 19-year-old multiple winner Frog just two weeks ago after she foaled a filly by Sir Percy, who survived and has been named Tadpole.
