Khaadem

The geography of those wins tells its own story. Newmarket in April 2022, Goodwood in July 2022, Ascot in June 2023, and Ascot again in June 2024 — four top-level victories spread across three of Britain's most prestigious tracks. The Ascot record stands out in particular. Two wins from just three races there makes Khaadem something close to a course specialist, and the fact that he has returned to win on the same Ascot card in back-to-back summers suggests this is a horse that saves something for the big occasions. Trainers dream of horses that turn up and perform when it matters most. Khaadem has done exactly that, reliably, at the highest level.

He is also a horse who clearly prefers fast conditions. On dry ground specifically, he has won 3 of his 9 races — a win rate of 33%, nearly 1 in 3. That is a meaningful edge. When the sun is out and the ground is quick, Khaadem becomes a considerably more dangerous proposition than his overall numbers suggest.

Charles Hills' yard at Lambourn has been in good form this season — 32 winners sent out — which is encouraging context for Khaadem's return. And a return it very much is: he has not raced for around three months, and his last six runs have been modest, with just one win among them. At nine years old, there are genuine questions about whether the best is behind him. But that Ascot win came less than two years ago, and horses with his record at the top level rarely fade quietly. If the ground comes up dry and Ascot is on the agenda, it would be a brave person who wrote him off entirely.