Urban Lion

The career arc tells a good story. A first win came at Chelmsford in August 2024, and from there the horse has gradually climbed into bigger races. A Class 2 victory at Sandown Park in June 2025 showed it could handle a proper test, and then just this week — at Doncaster — Urban Lion won again, confirming it is in the form of its life right now. Two wins from the last six races, with a third place in there too, suggests a horse that is healthy, well-placed, and firing.

The partnership with jockey Edward Greatrex is worth watching. Together they've won 2 of their 7 races, a win rate of 29% — which mirrors exactly the horse's overall record. That kind of consistency between a jockey and horse usually means something is working well, both in terms of trust and race-day tactics. When Greatrex takes the reins, the horse tends to show up.

Behind all of this is trainer Jack Channon at West Ilsley in Berkshire, a yard that has sent out 46 winners already this season. That is not a lucky streak — that is an operation running at a very high level. Urban Lion is one of their more reliable performers, and the fact that the horse raced just three days ago and is still active suggests the team is confident it has more to give. With the form it is in, and the calibre of race it is now winning, Urban Lion looks very much like a horse on the way up rather than one that has already peaked.