Sir Paul Ramsey

Both victories came on normal ground, at distances between a mile-and-one-furlong and a mile-and-two-furlongs, and both were ridden by Joe Fanning — a jockey who has now won 2 of the 8 times he has sat on this horse, which works out to 25%. That is not a coincidence. It is a combination that clearly suits Sir Paul Ramsey, and when those pieces come together, the horse is a genuine threat. Fanning is one of the more experienced and reliable jockeys in northern racing, and this partnership looks like one worth watching.

The first win came at Hamilton Park in July 2025, and the second followed at Haydock Park in August. Both are respected northern tracks, and winning at either requires a horse to be in proper form. Johnston's yard has been firing on all cylinders this season — 131 winners and counting — so when a horse is selected and prepared for a race there, it arrives with serious support behind it.

The caveat is that Sir Paul Ramsey has not won in its last six races, and the recent form figures of 6-7-6-11-4-7 are honest rather than thrilling. At Class 2 level — some of the better races in Britain — it has run five times without winning, which tells you the horse is being tested at a high standard. That is not a mark of failure; it is a mark of ambition from the yard. The question now, for a 4-year-old that raced just yesterday, is whether the right conditions — normal ground, the right trip, Fanning in the saddle — can produce a third win before the season closes.