Talismans Time

Edward Bethell's yard at Middleham has been in fine form, sending out 61 winners this season, but Talismans Time itself has been stuck in neutral. Its recent form reads as fourth, fourth, fifth, third across its last four races, solid efforts that suggest the horse is capable but struggling to find that extra gear needed to return to the winner's circle. The one beacon of light is that Talismans Time showed promise right from the start: it won on its very first outing at Hamilton Park in May 2025, then returned to the same track to win again in July. That Hamilton Park form hints at a horse that could be dangerous in the right race.

Bethell has clearly earmarked opportunities for his charge. The trainer was eyeing races like the Melrose at York, a valuable prize over the mile and six furlongs, and believed the track's layout could suit Talismans Time's running style. Whether the horse can recapture the form that produced those Class 4 wins remains the question. After racing just yesterday, Talismans Time is back in training and hunting for a return to winning ways—the kind of comeback that could suddenly change how people view what this horse is capable of.