Excellent Believe

The four-year-old made its first real statement at Nottingham in May 2025, breaking through for a first career win. Jack Channon, who trains out of West Ilsley in Berkshire, had already flagged the horse's potential back in April — noting that a debut second at Wolverhampton came against what looked like an above-average rival from Sir Mark Prescott's yard, and that the greenness on show was something a young horse grows out of. He was right. Excellent Believe has since won three times, with the most recent success coming at Haydock Park in August 2025.

What stands out most is how effective Excellent Believe is when racing over seven furlongs to a mile — that sweet spot where a horse needs both pace and stamina to see things out. At that distance range, the record reads two wins from four races, a 50% win rate. Winning half your races at any distance is exceptional; doing it consistently at the trips that suit you best is what separates a reliable performer from a one-hit wonder.

The wider yard is in strong form too, with Jack Channon sending out 46 winners this season alone — a training operation clearly firing on all cylinders. That context matters: well-managed horses in well-managed yards tend not to be overraced or mishandled, and Excellent Believe's record bears that out. Recent form has been patchier — finishing 13th and 27th in its last two runs — but with the horse still active, having raced just yesterday, there is evidently still plenty to play for. The team clearly believes there is more to come, and on the evidence of what this horse has already done over its preferred trip, it is hard to argue.