Yakhabar

The one area where Yakhabar has shown genuine class is middle-distance racing, particularly over 1 mile 6 furlongs to 2 miles — the kind of gruelling, patient races that suit a horse of his age and temperament. Over those distances, he has won four of his 28 races, a respectable 14% win rate that stands well above his career average. Newcastle, too, remains a happy hunting ground: he has won twice there from 14 attempts, making it one of the few places where his record looks markedly better than average. His partnership with jockey Billy Garritty has also proved fruitful, with the pair winning together at a 15% rate — again, well above Yakhabar's overall figures.

Trained by Liam Bailey at Middleham in North Yorkshire, where the yard has already sent out 17 winners this season, Yakhabar typically competes in Class 6 races, the bread-and-butter level where consistent horses like him can pick up the occasional win. That first career victory came at Newcastle on 17 February 2024, and his most recent success arrived at Southwell on 14 March 2026 — nearly half a year ago. At this stage, with racing miles on the clock and form in retreat, Yakhabar looks less like a horse about to reverse that trend and more like one content with the modest reputation he has earned.