Align The Stars

Align The Stars is a five-year-old with four wins from 24 races, a record that translates to winning roughly 1 in every 6 times out. That number looks modest until you understand where he's been competing: 12 of those 24 races have been at Class 2 level, some of the most competitive races in Britain outside the top tier. He's won 2 of those 12, and the manner of those victories told a story. He won at Haydock in July 2024, then backed it up at Goodwood in August — two of British racing's most respected venues — within six weeks of each other, having only recorded his first career win at Thirsk the month before. Three wins in ten weeks, all at a high level, in the space of a summer.

The key to understanding this horse is distance. Over a mile and six furlongs to two miles — the longer, more demanding trips — he has won 4 of 13 races, or nearly 1 in 3. That's a completely different animal from his overall record, and it points to something Johnston has believed for a while: that Align The Stars is a horse who needs a genuine test of stamina to be at his best. He's a big, powerful horse, and Johnston thinks he's actually stronger and more mature now at five than he was last year.

His most recent win came at Kempton Park in March 2026, eight weeks ago, on what Johnston described as an excellent comeback performance after a patchy spell. The trainer's ambitions for him are notably large — the St Leger, a race that puts a premium on stamina, has been mentioned, and the Ascot Gold Cup remains the long-term dream. Joe Fanning, who has partnered him in 16 of his 24 races and won 3 of them, knows this horse better than almost anyone. With recent form reading a second and a win from his last three outings, the trajectory is pointing upward again. Johnston's yard has sent out 128 winners already this season. Align The Stars looks like he wants to add to that total — somewhere prestigious.