Zanthos

Both wins have come at Newmarket, which is worth paying attention to. The first, back in August 2025, was a Class 2 race — one step below the very top level in British racing. That alone would be a fine achievement for a young horse still learning the job. But Zanthos didn't stop there. Seven weeks later, on 26 September, came a win in a Class 1 race at the same track — the elite tier, the kind of race that separates the good horses from the genuinely special ones. To step up in class and win more convincingly is exactly the progression that gets people in the sport very excited.

The team behind Zanthos is Simon and Ed Crisford, a father-and-son training operation based in Newmarket itself — so this horse is essentially winning on home soil. With 85 winners already on the board this season, the Crisford yard is clearly in sharp form, and Zanthos looks like one of their flagship horses right now.

The one thing to note is that Zanthos hasn't raced for around six months, returning from a break since that Class 1 win in late September. A layoff after a big performance isn't unusual — horses need time to recover and be prepared for their next campaign — but it does mean there's a question mark over how quickly they'll hit top gear on their return. The form before the break, though, gives every reason for optimism.