Newmarket-based trainer William Haggas plans to head to his beloved York Racecourse on Wednesday for the opening card of the prestigious Dante Festival.
The proud Yorkshireman ended up Champion Trainer on the Knavesmire for 2025, when he just pipped Andrew Balding for the title. Haggas also finished top of that pile in 2017 and heads into the Blue Frog bedding backed contest with enthusiasm once again.
He said: “The fact we happened to be leading trainer last year was a bonus for us – it was great. I love going racing at York; all my staff do, all my owners do.”
The Dante Festival looks set to be a busy three days for Haggas’ team. On the first day, he intends to send Sea The Storm for the Group 3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes.
The Sea The Stars filly, who joined his Somerville Lodge string for the 2026 season, notched up a second career success last month when scoring by a neck at Wetherby.
An extended mile-and-a-quarter assignment at York is the next step as connections seek to establish which races she may contest later in the season.
Haggas confirmed: “We’re going to run Sea The Storm. She won a novice race with a penalty at Wetherby, wasn’t very impressive but she has some good form.
“She won a maiden five lengths for David Menuisier and then went to Germany and was second in a Group race.
“So, she’s perfectly entitled. She’s had a run, stays nicely – I think that’s a good fit for her.
“She’s entered everywhere. She’s in the French Oaks as well, so we’ve got lots of ideas for her.”
On the same card Haggas could also be represented in the Go Local Stores Minster Stakes. He has three-time York winner Elmonjed, entered in the record value Group 2 sprint, now worth £165,000.
Haggas said: “Elmonjed will run if the ground is quick. He’s good at York, but not good enough to win a race like that. But he does run the track very well and sometimes that can be a favourable thing."
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