Khaadem

The key to understanding Khaadem is Ascot. He has raced there three times and won two of them, a remarkable 2 from 3 record at one of the most prestigious venues in the world. His back-to-back wins at the Royal Ascot sprint on 24 June 2023 and 22 June 2024 mark him out as a genuine big-occasion horse — the sort who turns up for the important days. Ground matters too: put him on fast, dry ground and his record improves sharply, 3 wins from 9 races, which is 1 in every 3, compared to a much leaner return on softer surfaces.

Trainer Charlie Hills, based in Lambourn, has described him as "undoubtedly a fast horse" and noted he can be ridden in different ways — held up from the back or ridden more prominently — which speaks to an intelligent, adaptable sprinter rather than a one-trick animal. Hills's yard has sent out 29 winners this season alone, and Khaadem has been part of that operation for several years now. Jamie Spencer has ridden him six times, winning once from those six, a 1-in-6 partnership that reflects the sheer difficulty of placing this horse at his best.

Recent form shows a string of double-figure finishes, but context matters enormously here. At Del Mar last year, jockey Oisin Murphy finished third in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint — one of the most competitive sprint races on the planet — and was effusive afterwards, calling it "amazing" for a nine-year-old against the best sprinters in the world. A broken stirrup leather at Sha Tin cost him any chance in another overseas venture. His last win came 23 months ago at Ascot, so the wins have dried up, but this is a horse that has earned considerable respect the hard way. He raced just one day ago. At 10, he is still at it.