Al Qareem

The recent record makes for striking reading. Four Class 1 wins between April and October 2025, including two at York and two at Ascot, before opening his 2026 account at Musselburgh in April. His jockey Clifford Lee, who has partnered him in 23 of his races and won 9 of them together — close to 2 in every 5 — described him after Ascot as "a gentleman to ride" with "one style of running": he goes hard from a long way out and dares the others to keep up. That front-running, relentless gallop is not a tactic, it is who he is.

Conditions matter enormously with Al Qareem. On wet ground he is virtually unbeatable — three wins from three races, a perfect record. On slightly soft going, he has won 3 from 5, a 60% win rate. His trainer Karl Burke is based in North Yorkshire and has sent out 145 winners this season alone, which is the kind of output that makes his yard one of the most powerful in the north. Burke spoke warmly about Al Qareem ahead of the Musselburgh run, calling him "a fantastic horse", though he was candid after the race that he had seen the horse work better at home. When a horse wins while not quite at his sharpest, that tells you something.

The distance that suits him best is a mile and three to four furlongs — he has won 5 from 6 races at that trip, an 83% win rate. Ascot is his favourite track, with 3 wins from 5 visits. Burke has suggested the Ormonde Stakes at Chester is the likely next target, a prestigious race run over a mile and a half. Given what Al Qareem does to horses on soft ground over that kind of trip, the Chester entry looks less like a plan and more like a warning.