Etalon

That Ascot win, on 20 December 2025, is the centrepiece of his recent story. His last six runs read 4-3-1-9-2-5 from most recent backwards — a sequence that shows a horse capable of genuine quality, even if consistency has occasionally slipped away from him. Dan Skelton, who trains him out of a busy yard in Alcester, Warwickshire, has been candid about the bumps along the road. A muscle problem at the start of the season cost Etalon time and momentum, and before that he went through a frustrating winter. But both trainer and jockey Harry Skelton have spoken about a horse that, when everything clicks, is very much the real deal.

The partnership with Harry Skelton is central to everything. The pair have raced together 21 times and produced 6 wins — that's a win rate of roughly 1 in 3.5, or 29%, which is exceptional by any measure. Harry has described Etalon as straightforward to ride once he's right in himself, a horse you can place anywhere in a race and trust on almost any ground. That versatility is genuinely valuable.

One condition, though, brings out something close to his best: wet, muddy ground. In those conditions, Etalon has won 4 of his 7 races — more than half. That is a remarkable conversion rate, and it tells you that when the ground is soft and the race is testing, he becomes a horse worth taking seriously. His Class 2 win at Ascot, and his first career victory at Wetherby back in January 2023, have helped shape a profile of a horse who travels and handles big occasions.

After a 46-day break, Etalon returns fresh. The Skelton team have previously mentioned Aintree's Grade 1 as a target — the top tier of the sport. For a horse who has spent most of his career one rung below that, it would be quite a step. But the form, the jockey, and the wet-ground record all suggest he could make it interesting.