Celtic John

That sole career win came at Lingfield Park in January 2026, and it's worth noting that his best performances tend to come over distances between a mile and one furlong and a mile and two furlongs — he has won 1 of his 9 races at those trips, which at 11% is actually well above his overall career average. Finding the right distance clearly matters with Celtic John, and when the conditions suit, he's capable of getting his nose in front.

He runs most of his races at Class 6, which is the entry-level tier of British racing. Winning 1 from 11 races at that level — around 1 in every 11 — is not a dominant record, but it does mean he's competitive enough to place regularly, as his three career placings show. He's the kind of horse who makes his the yard sweat before delivering, rather than winning easily.

Pat Phelan trains him from a yard in Epsom, Surrey — a famously hilly training ground that has shaped some of Britain's best horses over the centuries. The yard has sent out eight winners this season, so there's clearly a functioning operation behind Celtic John. Paddy Bradley is his most regular partner in the saddle, riding him in 10 of his 17 races for that single win together — a 10% win rate between them that's better than the career average suggests. The fact that Bradley keeps coming back for the ride tells you something about the working relationship between horse and jockey. Celtic John raced just yesterday, which means he's bang in form and clearly being kept busy — always a sign that the team believes there's more to come.