Byzantium

Both of Byzantium's wins have come recently and in quick succession — first at Warwick in early June 2025, then at Newton Abbot just three weeks later. Nicholls has spoken about the horse finally learning to settle, describing the improvement as something of a revelation. That kind of temperament breakthrough often unlocks a horse that was always talented but getting in its own way, and the timing of those two wins — both on fast, dry ground over the summer — suggests Nicholls identified exactly the right conditions to exploit. The Newton Abbot success came despite a 3lb penalty from the Warwick win, which is encouraging. Unfortunately, the horse cut itself that day and needed two months off, which disrupted what might otherwise have been a productive summer campaign.

His most regular partner in the saddle is Jay Tidball, and that combination has produced two wins from five races together — a win rate of 40%, or 2 from 5. For context, that is a remarkable return and suggests a genuine partnership has developed. His most recent run came just yesterday at Ascot, and Nicholls has been candid that the outing was as much about taking the freshness out of a horse that can be too keen for his own good as it was about winning. He has also flagged that a step up in distance is coming next time, which hints that the team believe there is more to come once Byzantium is asked a slightly different question.

He has raced most often at Class 4 level — one win from seven races at that grade — and that combination of experience, a settled mind, and a trainer thinking carefully about where to aim him next makes Byzantium a horse worth keeping an eye on as the season develops.