The William Haggas trained sprinter miler Lake Forest (GB) is a horse well known to Australians having executed a successful raid on the 2024 $10million ATC Golden Eagle, but two less than glorious runs in Australia last spring had connections questioning his commitment to the cause.
The five year-old No Nay Never stallion refused to fire up at all for Zac Purton in the Group I ATC King Charles III Stakes and was then lacklustre again in the Group I VRC Champions Mile on a heavy track.
Sent home to the UK to regroup, the decision was taken to geld Lake Forest given he had been winless since his Rosehill victory and the move looks like it will be paying off.
He started overnight for the first time as a gelding in the Listed spring Trophy Stakes (7f) at Haydock and ran out a dominant five and a half length winner for Cieren Fallon as favourite.
“Last year you questioned whether Lake Forest was fully concentrating on the job in hand and since he's been gelded he's moving better and everything just seems easier,” said Maureen Haggas.
“His mind is more focused on being a racehorse. He's only small but he's got a lot of ability. It was great today and he seems to have enjoyed his day out.”
Lake Forest has never lacked for ability and his four wins from 16 starts might be a record he improves on sharply in 2026 if he maintains his focus.
