Melon

Trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, who have sent out 43 winners already this season, Melon got off the mark at Haydock Park in September 2024 and followed that up with a win at Wetherby in January 2025. That Wetherby run was particularly encouraging. Jockey Henry Brooke reported that Melon "travelled lovely and jumped really well," and noted that he was effectively giving the second horse 10lb once the jockey's weight allowance was factored in — meaning he won with a hand tied behind his back. That's the kind of detail that makes a form student sit up.

He showed his character at Doncaster too, where Brooke described him as "so good in the jumping department" before he had one uncertain moment at the last fence — almost came down, in fact — and still managed to fight back and win. That sort of resilience tells you something about a horse. Plenty would have folded; Melon got back on top.

The one frustration is that he has raced three times at Class 1 or 2 level and hasn't won any of them, though stepping up in class is never easy. His natural home right now seems to be one rung below that, where he can dominate rather than merely compete. The trainer has been candid about a few setbacks along the way, and acknowledged that life gets harder without the weight allowances that helped in his first season — but the plan is to keep him active and find the right opportunities. He raced just yesterday, so he's firmly in the thick of it.

If the yard can keep him fit and find races that suit, there's every reason to think Melon has more wins in him before the season is out.