Way Maker

The early signs were genuinely encouraging. Way Maker's first win came at Bangor-on-Dee in July 2025, a performance trainer Mickey Bowen recalls as dominant. The second win followed quickly at Stratford in August, where something remarkable happened: the horse carried extra weight as a penalty for the earlier victory and still managed to win, something Bowen notes only a quite good horse can do. But the trainer was candid about the circumstances — Way Maker wasn't fully ready for that race and may have been brought back too soon. The yard's ambitions then turned toward a major £100,000 race at Newbury, a significant step up in class. That proved disappointing.

Since then, Way Maker has struggled to find its way back to the winner's enclosure. The most recent six races show two second-place finishes and two thirds, bracketed by blanks and an eleventh — respectable mid-field work rather than the winning form of a year ago. The horse remains active, having raced just a day ago, suggesting Bowen hasn't abandoned faith in what he still sees as a horse with an exciting future. Whether that future includes another win remains to be seen, but a horse capable of defying a penalty to win is not one likely to be forgotten quickly.