Cathedral

Trained by Kevin Philippart De Foy, whose yard has sent out 40 winners already this season, Cathedral is a 4-year-old who has raced eight times and won once — a win rate of roughly 1 in every 8 races (12%). That solitary victory came at Lingfield Park back in September 2024, now twenty months ago, and nothing since has come close to matching it. The recent run of form reads 4-4-4-5-3-2 going back through the last six races: competitive, consistent, but stubbornly short of the line.

What makes those numbers more interesting is the level Cathedral has been competing at. Four of its eight races have come in Class 1 company — the top tier of British racing — and it has yet to win at that level. That is not embarrassing; plenty of horses never get near a Class 1 race. But it does tell you that Cathedral is being aimed high, and that the team around it clearly believe the ability is there, even if the wins haven't followed. Jockey David Egan has been in the saddle for five of those eight races and has won 1 from those 5 together — a rate of roughly 1 in every 5 rides — suggesting a real partnership is being built.

The trainer's decision to withdraw Cathedral from the 1,000 Guineas — one of the most famous races in the British calendar — rather than risk running it before it was ready, says something. Philippart De Foy has spoken about options over seven furlongs and a mile further down the line. Amo Racing's racing manager Amy Drummond flagged Cathedral as exciting for the future even after its first win as a two-year-old, mentioning the Cheveley Park and the Oh So Sharp as possibilities before deciding against rushing it. The picture that emerges is of a horse being handled carefully, built up gradually, with the team clearly in no hurry to burn through whatever potential they believe is sitting underneath.

Cathedral raced just one day ago, so the story is still very much being written.