Be Aware

When the ground is soft and the trip is long — two miles or more — Be Aware is a different proposition. On wet or muddy ground over those longer distances, he has won 2 of his 8 races, a 25% win rate. That might sound modest, but it means on the days when conditions suit him, he is winning one in four. His most recent victory came at Stratford-on-Avon in October 2025, and his recent form of 2-2-2-1 across those middle runs shows a horse who had found his rhythm and was building nicely before that win.

The consistent riding partnership with Harry Skelton — Dan's brother — is worth noting. Harry has been in the saddle for all 13 races and both wins, which suggests the horse has a settled, trusted routine around him. Dan Skelton's yard is one of the most productive in Britain right now, having sent out 194 winners this season alone, so Be Aware is operating in a well-resourced, high-performing environment.

The one puzzle in the record is his performance at the top level. He has raced seven times in Class 1 company — the very best races in Britain — and has yet to win. That is not a disgrace; those races attract the finest horses in training and finishing placed at that level still means something. But it does suggest that when the quality around him is at its sharpest, the gap closes. Tom Messenger, assistant to Dan Skelton, noted after his first career win at Newbury in January 2024 that the team always believed Be Aware was a nice horse and were not surprised to see him win — the question was simply whether he was mentally ready. Dan Skelton has since spoken about him having high-class form and being an interesting prospect stepping into new territory over fences. The horse has the pieces. Whether they come together against the very best is the question still to be answered.