Maltese Cross overcame adverse circumstances to claim William Haggas’ first Grand Prix de Paris title, surging to the finish and delivering a British one‑two at ParisLongchamp.
Jockey Tom Marquand kept his composure, navigating a ride fraught with setbacks as the Sea The Stars colt appeared to be out of contention, only to see Charlie Johnston’s Ancient Egypt take the lead after Causeway’s front‑running challenge faltered.
Ancient Egypt surged past the three‑furlong marker, while Causeway’s waning challenge seemed to impede Maltese Cross, which was forced into an inside rail position.
Trapped behind the pacesetter, he finally found an opening late in the race; a powerful late surge enabled him to slip through a narrow gap, overtaking Ancient Egypt in the closing strides to win the Bastille Day Group One at odds of 14‑5.
The win marked the first British triumph in this race since Hurricane Lane in 2021, with Johnston’s horse defying its 22‑1 outsider status to run close but ultimately be denied.
Mikel Dezangles’ Alam finished a neck behind in third, while Varandir, trained by Francis‑Henri Graffard, trailed by another head in fourth.
Assistant trainer Maureen Haggas experienced a roller‑coaster of emotions after the victory in the French capital.
“I believed he performed exceptionally well, overcoming a challenging position and navigating a rival that was fighting to keep him contained,” she said to Sky Sports Racing.
“He thrives on having a target and will find a way through a narrow opening, as he did today.”
“He is resilient and possesses a strong winning mentality, which is one of his key attributes; a strong horse is essential to escape such difficulties.”
“Beyond the victory, several aspects of the performance were highly encouraging, and we always believed the best was still to come.”
“He is poised to develop into an excellent four‑year‑old, and winning a Group One today was fantastic.”
He added that finishing second in the Derby ranked among the finest days of his life, and winning a Group One feels comparable. The most disappointing aspect of missing the Derby win was the inability to give Sam Haggas — William and Maureen’s son and his bloodstock agent — that moment; his parents’ joy at seeing their son achieve such a feat would have been extraordinary.
Johnston expressed pride in Ancient Egypt, noting a second consecutive narrow defeat by a neck to Causeway in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.
“Above all, I am proud of the horse; once again he was completely underestimated, overlooked, and an outsider in the field,” he remarked.
“The fact that Causeway started at 9‑4 while we were at 20‑1 reflects a lack of respect for his ability and potential; he nearly turned the tables in the final stride.”
“It was a fantastic run, and I am very proud of him; he proved himself to be a genuine Group One performer,” he said.