Awaken

Her recent form is a mixed picture. Finishing 15th and 11th in her last two outings looks rough on the surface, but context matters enormously here. Boughey has been candid that Awaken simply wasn't herself for much of last year — something was off, and it showed in her results. A particularly rough afternoon on wet, muddy ground at Salisbury seemed to knock her confidence. Yet sandwiched in her recent form is a big run in the Rockfel Stakes, one of the most prestigious races for three-year-old fillies in Britain, where Boughey was specifically trying to rebuild her belief in herself. That kind of race entry tells you the yard still holds her in high regard.

The encouraging news is that the team heading into 2026 sound noticeably more optimistic. Boughey has spoken about how much better she looks physically compared to this time last year, and — perhaps more importantly — her work at home has been sharper too. She's being pointed towards a trial, potentially the Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket, a race that historically serves as a springboard for horses with Classic aspirations. You don't aim a horse at that kind of race unless you think she can deliver.

With regular jockey Billy Loughnane in the saddle, she's won 1 from their 5 races together — a 20% win rate, which actually compares well to her overall career average. She tends to shine over shorter distances, winning 1 of 4 races at between five and six-and-a-half furlongs, suggesting she's a horse who likes to get on with things rather than be asked to settle and wait. Boughey's Newmarket yard has fired out 99 winners this season alone, so Awaken is learning from one of the sharpest operations in the country. If she's genuinely back to her best, there could be a big day still to come.