George Waud on Maltese Cross: “We’re going there to win the Arc”
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Thu 1 Oct 2026
George Waud, owner of leading fancy Maltese Cross, believes that his colt can win Sunday’s Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
The William Haggas-trained colt heads into Sunday’s Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on the back of an almost flawless season, with his only defeat coming when a gallant second to Christmas Day in the Derby at Epsom.
The Sea The Stars colt comfortably reversed that form when landing the Great Voltigeur at York when last seen in August, and owner Waud believes that his charge is the main danger to reigning champion Daryz following that win on the Knavesmire.
Speaking to Racing TV at a Soho screening of the colt's best runs ahead of Sunday's race, the Hollywood film producer said: “We’re going there to win the Arc.
“I said to Tom Marquand before he got on him at York, ‘I need some daylight’.
“I said, “you're going to have a dead owner if we have another photo finish - I just can't deal with it.”
Maltese Cross is due to face the quickest conditions he has faced for some time on Sunday, but connections are not fazed at all.
Waud said: “I think good to firm ground would be ideal. But he ran on soft ground at Ascot first time out last year and ran very nicely on that. Obviously, he's run in the Derby in terrible ground. So I think he can still run on any ground.
“But we'd prefer it to be good, good to firm. “
Having gone so close in the Derby, Maltese Cross could easily have gone to Doncaster to run in the St Leger in the final Classic of the season, but connections decided to wait for Sunday’s race instead.
“We had a choice,” explained Waud. “But William [Haggas] felt that the extra two or three weeks would be really beneficial.
“It's a different classic in a different country, and I think that people say it's the greatest race in Europe, but I would argue that one of our classics is the greatest races in Europe.
“But it does stand out from other races. This is just unreal.”
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