Southbank

At five years old, Southbank is in his prime, and his record at the level he typically competes at is strong. In Class 6 races — the grassroots end of the sport where most horses find their feet — he has won 6 from 27, roughly 1 in every 4.5 races. That 22% win rate at that level marks him out as a reliable performer who knows how to get the job done when conditions suit. His first career win came at Wolverhampton in February 2024, and his most recent at Kempton Park in October 2025, so he has proven himself on the all-weather surfaces that keep racing going through the British winter.

His trainer Chris Gordon tells an interesting story about how this horse came to be in his care. Richard Venn sourced Southbank specifically for owner Kate Digweed and her family — they wanted an entertainment horse, something to enjoy and follow through a season. What they got turned out to be rather more than that. Gordon has spoken warmly about the role Southbank's former trainer Stuart Williams played in getting him to the yard in such good shape, and the horse promptly rewarded the team by winning on turf at Bath and then following up on the all-weather at Kempton. Gordon's yard has sent out 51 winners this season, so this is not a small operation running a hobby horse — Southbank earns his keep.

The honest picture right now is that he has not won in his last 6 races, though his recent form reads 3-2-6-2-3, suggesting he is still placing regularly rather than falling off a cliff. He raced just yesterday, which underlines how active and robust he is. The plan through winter is simple: keep running on the all-weather and hope another win comes along. For a horse bought to give a family something to cheer about on a Saturday afternoon, he has rather exceeded expectations.