Orionis

Haggas is one of the most powerful trainers in the country, and the numbers back that up — his yard has sent out 170 winners already this season alone. Having a horse like Orionis in that string means it is competing in good company and being placed in races where it can win. The first career victory came at Ripon in June 2025, but Orionis has kept on progressing, most recently winning at Goodwood just four weeks ago — one of the sport's most beautiful and demanding tracks, where winning means something.

The distance question is where Orionis really comes alive. At a mile and three furlongs to a mile and a half — what you might think of as the middle-distance trips, not a sprint and not a true marathon — this horse has won 3 of 5 races, a success rate of 60%. That is a clear signal from the racecourse itself: put Orionis in the right conditions at the right trip and you are looking at a genuine chance. Trainers and jockeys notice these patterns, and so should anyone watching.

The partnership with jockey Tom Marquand is another thread worth pulling. In 5 races together, they have won 3, which works out to 60% — an extraordinary ratio. Marquand is one of the most respected riders in Britain, and when a jockey keeps coming back to the same horse and keeps winning, it usually means there is a real understanding between horse and rider. That sort of combination, in form and with a recent Goodwood victory to its name, is worth paying close attention to as the season continues.