Deep Cave

Williams trains out of Ogmore-By-Sea in Glamorgan, and his yard has been in fine form this season with 25 winners already on the board. He has spoken openly about it taking time to fully understand Deep Cave — figuring out what conditions suit him, when to give him a break, and how to time his runs. That patience has paid off. The horse was freshened up before Aintree, arrived in good shape, and won. Then in November 2025 he followed up with a Class 2 victory at Bangor-on-Dee, and capped the year with a Class 1 success at Ascot in December. Three wins from his last six races is the form of a horse operating right at the top of his game at eight years old.

His partnership with jockey Jack Tudor has been particularly productive — Tudor has ridden him seven times and won on three of those occasions, which works out at just over 43%, or nearly 3 wins from every 7 rides together. That kind of consistency between horse and jockey is rare and usually means they have developed a real understanding. Deep Cave also shows a strong preference for wet or muddy ground, winning 2 of his 5 races in those conditions — a 40% win rate that is well above his overall average.

Owner Caolan Woods has been part of the journey since the beginning, and the Aintree win was described as the reward for a year of patience. Deep Cave's career earnings and record at the top level suggest a horse that a small team has gradually unlocked — and right now, at eight years old and in the form of his life, he looks every bit worth the wait.