York, England — The five-year-old horse Elmonjed, under the guidance of trainer William Haggas and jockey William Buick, finished first in the Go Local Stores Minster Stakes at York on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. The 8-1 outsider secured a length victory over James Fanshawe’s joint favourite. The win marks a stated career best for the horse, previously having blown away the cobwebs at Newmarket last month in its second outing of the current season.
Haggas noted Elmonjed appeared "a little bit green in the paddock beforehand and he was a little bit in the race," suggesting a certain unreadiness or restlessness. Despite this, the animal displayed a preference for a "fast, flat track" during the event, a trait the trainer observes as essential for its performance. Buick maneuvered the horse efficiently from the far side, overtaking the reappearing Group One winner Kind Of Blue to claim the win. Ambitions now reportedly point towards a Group One engagement for Elmonjed, though the trainer states he is "in no rush," preferring to allow the horse time to recover and settle.
The recent victory extends Elmonjed's record on the Knavesmire, now tallying four wins from five starts there. This includes a previous Listed success in the Garrowby Stakes during September 2025. That particular race was notable for the severe injuries sustained by jockeys Jim Crowley and Trevor Whelan, both of whom remain sidelined from racing. Elmonjed is a progeny of Blue Point, a sire who has produced 21 Stakes winners, among them the 'Classic hero' Rosallion and other prominent sprinters such as Big Evs and Kind Of Blue. Meanwhile, Haggas also pointed to another of his stable's horses, Klassleader, following its win in the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap, as a prospective contender for the Ebor. William Haggas 'eyes the Ebor' with that particular winner.
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