Alibey

That first career win finally arrived at Fakenham on 31 May 2026 — just this week — and it felt like the natural end point of a sustained sequence of near-misses. Three times in a row Alibey finished second before crossing the line first. For anyone who has watched a horse keep knocking on the door without quite getting through, that win will have felt genuinely satisfying. Career win rate sits at roughly 1 win from every 12 races, or about 8%, which is modest on paper, but the recent form suggests that number is about to improve.

What makes the context interesting is that Alibey had never previously won at Class 5 level — the most accessible tier of racing — going 0 from 3 before Fakenham finally came good. Breaking through at that level matters because it gives the yard something to build on. Dylan Cunha's team at Newmarket have been in strong form this season, sending out 45 winners already, so Alibey is operating within a confident, well-resourced setup. With Alibey having raced just yesterday and still very much active, the story is far from over. This looks like a horse on the way up rather than one that has peaked.