Forest Phoenix

That sole victory came at Catterick Bridge on 30 May 2026, and it was a result that finally showed what this horse can do when conditions fall right. Catterick is a tight, undulating track that rewards horses who are sharp and balanced rather than those who simply rely on raw power — so winning there means something. The fact that Forest Phoenix got the job done over a shorter distance is telling too. At five to six-and-a-half furlongs, it has won 1 from 3 races, which is a solid 33 percent win rate at those trips — wins 1 in every 3 races at the distances that suit it best. Strip that out and you have a horse that looks genuinely competitive when trained on what it does well.

The yard behind it gives plenty of reason for confidence. Tim Easterby, based at Great Habton in North Yorkshire, has sent out 128 winners already this season — that is a remarkable volume of success and marks him out as one of the most productive trainers operating in the north of England right now. A horse in his care is not drifting — it is in a stable that knows how to get horses race-fit and race-ready. Forest Phoenix raced just one day ago, which tells you the team believes it is in good enough form to keep running.

The recent form figures — 8-12-1-8-8-5 — show a horse that has had some rough patches and still lacks the consistency that separates the good from the very good. But sandwiched in the middle of those numbers is that big fat 1, a winner, and it came only six weeks ago. For a three-year-old still learning the game, still finding out what distances and tracks bring out the best in it, that is not a horse to write off. Keep it at the shorter trips, keep it sharp, and Forest Phoenix looks like a horse with another win not too far away.