Royal Zabeel

The most striking thread running through Royal Zabeel's career is how well the horse handles normal ground conditions. In six races on a standard surface, it has won four times — that is a remarkable two-thirds success rate. Many horses have a preference, but Royal Zabeel's is almost a superpower. When the ground is right, this horse is a different animal entirely.

Then there is Southwell. The all-weather track in Nottinghamshire has become something of a home venue for Royal Zabeel, who has won 2 of just 3 races there, including a Class 1 success as recently as 28 November 2025. Winning two from three at any course hints at a horse that genuinely takes to the track — the bends, the surface, the layout all seem to suit. Trainer Michael Appleby, whose yard in Oakham, Rutland has sent out 73 winners this season alone, clearly knows when and where to point this horse.

Jockey Alistair Rawlinson is the man most associated with Royal Zabeel's best days. Together they have won 3 of their 7 races as a partnership — that is a win rate of 43%, which is extraordinarily high. Almost one in every two times Rawlinson has climbed aboard, they have reached the winner's enclosure. That kind of rapport between horse and rider is rare and worth noting.

Recent form tells a slightly mixed story — a fourth place last time out sandwiched around a win, and a couple of disappointing finishes further back in the sequence. But with this horse, one eye on the ground conditions and another on the track will tell you most of what you need to know. When the stars align, Royal Zabeel is capable of beating the very best.