Regional

It all started at York in May 2023, where Regional broke his duck in a top-level Class 2 race. Bethell noted after the race that the horse had come out of it enormous in the parade ring, took a breather at the final furlong, then dug in and hit the line strongly — a sign of real character. Three weeks later came a Class 1 win at Haydock Park, then a second Class 1 at the same track in September. Two top-flight wins at the same course in one season is the kind of record that makes trainers grin. By that point, Bethell had already been thinking bigger — a trip to Ireland's Curragh followed, and while he felt the stiff six-furlong layout wasn't quite Regional's ideal setup, he sent the horse to Royal Ascot with genuine optimism. Regional very nearly delivered. Bethell reflected afterwards that another half a furlong and they might have got there — a sentence that will haunt any racing fan who watched the finish.

Since that Haydock win in September 2023, now 34 months ago, Regional has not won again. Six races without a victory, including a couple of third-place finishes that show he is still mixing it at a decent level. His record on normal ground stands out — 2 wins from 8 races, a 25% win rate — and it is worth noting that his best performances have come in those conditions. Jockey Callum Rodriguez has been the regular partner, riding Regional in 12 of his 21 races and winning 3 of them, a win rate of 1 in 4, which is a strong return by any measure.

Bethell's yard has been in excellent form this season, sending out 61 winners, so the infrastructure is there. Whether Regional can add to his tally at the age of 8 is the open question — but a horse with two Class 1 wins on his CV and a near-miss at Royal Ascot has already earned his place in the story.