As attentions switch towards the jumps season, it is heartening to see a good few top-class racehorses on the Flat stay in training for 2026.
John and Thady Gosden stars Ombudsman and Field Of Gold are set to stay in training.
Credit must go to Godolphin and Juddmonte, powerful owners who will be fully aware how important these two horses are for the breeding game in the future.
Ombudsman has been one of the horses of the year in the mile-and-a-quarter division.
Field Of Gold’s early season three-year-old form hasn’t worked out as strongly as anticipated but he appeals as the type with more to offer, perhaps up in trip to 10 furlongs.
It also looks like the runaway front two in the Arc; Daryz and Minnie Hauk will also train on.
Field of Gold won the Irish Guineas and St James’ Palace Stakes this season
Minnie Hauk won the Irish Oaks, The Oaks, Yorkshire Oaks and was second in the Arc
Ombudsman won the Juddmonte International at York and the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot
The two three-year-olds provided a thrilling finish to the feature in Paris last month and all routes look set to head back to Paris in 2026.
Calandagan is a gelding but currently rated as the best horse in the world and could have even more to offer at the age of five after winning the Champion Stakes from Ombudsman in good style.
It’s not just the middle-distance horses that lofty connections seem willing to keep in training. Wathan Racing have announced their attentions to keep sprinters such as Lazzat, Kind Of Blue and Flora Of Bermuda going into 2026. In an open division then why not?
Jim Goldie gave a positive bulletin at Ayr racecourse a couple of weeks ago on Royal Ascot King Charles III Stakes hero American Affair. Defending his sprint crown in 2026 at the royal meeting is the ultimate goal for the Scot.
The early indications are the Gosdens will keep superb stayers Trawlerman and Sweet William in training. They’ll likely face St Leger winner Scandanavia, with Ballydoyle intent on him filling the Kyprios void in the staying ranks.
This is a highly encouraging sign to see our fair share of good sprinters, middle-distance horses and stayers continuing in training and sets a positive tone for 2026.
American Affair produced a memorable Scottish victory at Royal Ascot in the King Charles III
Trawlereman (right) is still going strong at the top of the staying division
CONMAN JOHN THE LEADING NOVICE TO FOLLOW FROM SHOWCASE MEETING
The Showcase meeting at Cheltenham over the two days was good fare but I doubt there was a sure-fire Graded operator revealed on the Friday.
Most are handicappers to follow and one imagines that at least two or three in the two-mile novice chase will look to come back for handicaps in the big meeting at March. The hurdlers on the Friday seemed to be of a similar ilk.
Saturday was more revealing and Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore may have another highly-exciting progressive young stayer in their hands with CONMAN JOHN.
He made every yard in winning the three-mile novice hurdle race at Cheltenham in good style. A big, raw unit. He made the odd mistake without it ever affecting his momentum but the thing you want to see from novices in scope for improvement in victory. And Conman John has that in spades.
He kept up the gallop despite looking very green up the Cheltenham Hill. He also has the quirky characteristics that align with the kind of stable stars Russell has had in the past.
He hung his head up in the air and hung towards the left near the finish; something Corach Rambler was infamous for. He has the same ownership as Ahoy Senor and his adjustments in his jumping and the way he likes to dominate races is very much in his style.
If Conman John really is in that mould then he could be a horse to follow for this season and beyond. He already looks like a chaser in the making.
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK…
A five-runner Futurity Trophy might be deemed insufficient for a Group One contest but you must ponder what these kind of races would be like if Aidan O’Brien wasn’t around. He sent over three high-class types for to Doncaster and HAWK MOUNTAIN proved to be the best of them.
Hawk Montian (left) beat stablemates Action and Benevenuto Cellini at Doncaster
He outstayed stablemate Action at the line with favourite Benevenuto Cellini back in third. All have enormous potential but the winner had plenty left to offer on deep ground and is expected to be campaigned as both a Guineas and Derby type.
Action helps set the standard with a decent effort in second and Benevenuto Cellini should not be given up on after probably finding the heavy ground too testing. He’s a striking chestnut and a beautiful mover who should leave that effort well behind next season.
SELECTIONS OF THE DAY…
A very good card at Aintree. STRAW FAN JACK (9-1, Sky Bet) is very smart at his best and represents value in the Veterans’ Chase (1.50).
IMPERIAL SAINT (9-4, William Hill) looks the best handicapped horse in the feature Old Roan Chase (2.55) for the in-form Philip Hobbs and Johnson White team.
Fergal O’Brien has won the last three renewals of the two-mile-four-furlong handicap hurdle (3.30) and has leading claims again with SERIOUS CHALLENGE (3-1, Paddy Power).
