That long break is the most striking thing here. Eighteen months away from racing at just three years old is a significant chunk of a young horse's career, and there is no knowing what the lay-off was for based on what we have in front of us. What we do know is that when it returns, it will be doing so without a win to its name and with plenty to prove.
Jim Crowley has been in the saddle for all seven races and the pair have yet to find the winner's enclosure together. That kind of partnership, with a clean zero from seven, is the sort of stat that quietly tells its own story. Trainer Charles Hills operates out of Lambourn in Berkshire and has had a productive season — 32 winners sent out is a healthy total, which suggests the yard is in good form. The challenge is translating that into a first win for this particular horse.
Eben Zaabeel has spent most of its career in Class 4 races — solid, mid-tier contests, not the glamour end of the sport but competitive enough. It has run five times at that level without winning, which means it has yet to find an opportunity it can dominate. Whether a change of conditions, a drop in class, or simply a return to full fitness after the long break might unlock something different remains to be seen. For now, it is a horse whose profile is defined almost entirely by potential yet to be realised.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salisbury Undulating |
1 | 1 other | 11 Jun | 0% |
| Great Yarmouth Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 13 Apr | 0% |
| Newmarket Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 28 Sep | 0% |
| Chester Tight |
1 | 1 other | 8 May | 0% |
| Newbury Galloping |
1 | 1 third | 25 Jun | 0% |
| Southwell Galloping |
1 | 1 second | 3 Sep | 0% |
| Kempton Park Galloping |
1 | 1 second | 2 Oct | 0% |