Sky Bet Lester Piggott Stakes: Haggas out for family success

William Haggas insists the decision to re-name the Pinnacle Stakes at Haydock Park in memory of his late father-in-law Lester Piggott is a ‘great honour’ and admits it would be ‘lovely’ if Sea Silk Road could secure the Group Three prize.

The Newmarket trainer will be bidding for a third success in the mile and a half contest on Saturday, which will be run as the Sky Bet Lester Piggott Stakes in memory of the 11-time champion jockey who passed away aged 86 last May.

Piggott rode both his first and last British winners at Haydock Park. Aged just 12, his first winner was on The Chase in 1948 while his last came aged 58 aboard Palacegate Jack in 1994. Both victories are immortalised in a bronze by Willie Newton entitled ‘Start To Finish’ at the racecourse.

Having claimed the race last year with subsequent Group One scorer Sea La Rosa, Haggas - who is married to Piggott’s daughter Maureen - hopes Sea Silk Road can follow in her hoofprints and open her account for the campaign.

Haggas said: “I think it is a great honour that officials at Haydock Park have named the race in memory of Lester. The family are absolutely thrilled.

“Haydock was the place where Lester had his first winner and rode his last winner so there is no more appropriate venue to have a race run in his memory.

“It would be lovely if Sea Silk Road could win the race on Saturday.”

After winning her first two starts last season Sea Silk Road then found only subsequent Irish Oaks heroine Magical Lagoon too strong on her Pattern race debut in the Group Two Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Although Sea Silk Road only beat one home on her return to action back at Group Two level in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes at York last month, Haggas is confident she will prove better than that effort on her return to a mile and a half.

He added: “She is a filly that has not yet won a Group race but she won a Listed race last year and was second in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot.

“Her run in the Ribblesdale was terrific and the filly that beat her, Magical Lagoon, won the Irish Oaks afterwards so it turned out the form of that race, at the time, was quite good.

“First time out this year in the Middleton they went too slow for her over that extended mile and a quarter and she didn’t really relax.

“She has come forwards for that run though and going back to a mile and a half I think will suit her.

“The Gosden (John and Thady) horse Mimikyu ran a very good race at York last time out and I think she will be quite hard to beat, even with her penalty, but we are hopeful ours will go well.”

Sea La Rosa climbed the ranks following her victory in the race 12 months ago after securing Group Two wins in the Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood and Prix de Pomone at Deauville before adding the Group One Prix de Royallieu at Longchamp to her name.

While Sea Silk Road has a way to go to match those achievements Haggas is optimistic she can find plenty of improvement as the season progresses.

He added: “Sea La Rosa got better and better last season having gone through the handicap system as a three year old the year before.

“She just seemed to improve all last year and hopefully this filly can do the same.

“I would have liked to have seen Sea Silk Road run a bit better on her first start but she should still be competitive on Saturday.”