Qirat

What makes Qirat truly interesting is his pinpoint preferences. He is a course specialist at Goodwood, where he has won three races from six attempts—that is a 50 per cent win rate on his favoured ground. He also needs racing over middle distances between seven furlongs and a mile, where he has won four of ten races. Put him on normal ground conditions at that distance and everything clicks: he wins roughly two of every five races. Most tellingly, when his jockey Hector Crouch rides him, Qirat transforms. The pair have teamed up seven times and won three of those races—a win rate of 43 per cent, well above his career average.

His breakthrough came in August 2023 at Kempton, but it is his Goodwood victories that define him. In May 2024 and August 2024 he won Class 2 races there, and then in July 2025 he achieved his career high: winning a top-level Class 1 race, the Sussex Stakes, with Richard Kingscote in the saddle. His trainer Ralph Beckett has noted that Qirat performs best on softer ground and when given a clear tactical plan. Beckett's yard, based in Hampshire, has been prolific this season with 107 winners, and Qirat represents the kind of specialist horse that thrives when given exactly the right conditions and the right ride. His last six races show volatility—a recent win at York three months ago, mixed with a couple of runs outside the frame—but his formidable record at Goodwood on his preferred going suggests he remains capable of running well at the top level whenever the circumstances suit.