Circuit Breaker

The part worth paying attention to is what happens when Circuit Breaker arrives at Kempton Park. Two wins from just 3 races there — that's a remarkable two-in-three record at a single track, the kind of affinity that trainers dream about. His most recent win came at Kempton in October 2024, and though that was 19 months ago, the trainer Jonjo O'Neill was candid afterwards that the race only had four runners and the horse had needed the run to find his stride. Even so, O'Neill was optimistic, noting that Circuit Breaker is a thorough stayer — a horse built for distance — who had jumped well and was expected to keep improving.

The other thing that matters for Circuit Breaker is the ground underfoot. A previous trainer pointed to his unusually large feet and made it clear he wants some moisture in the ground — proper wet or muddy conditions rather than a dry, fast surface. Get the conditions wrong, and you saw what happened at Hamilton, where the horse had a punishing race and needed time to recover afterwards. Get them right, and Kempton suggests what's possible.

His recent form reads 6-3-6-6-2-2 — meaning two second-place finishes in his last six but no wins. Cieren Fallon, who has ridden him five times, is still searching for his first victory aboard the horse. Most of Circuit Breaker's best work has come at Class 4 level, where he has won 2 of 9 races — around 1 in every 4 and a half, which is a solid return at that tier. The yard, based in Cheltenham, has sent out 52 winners already this season, so the operation is clearly in good form around him. Whether Circuit Breaker can add to his tally depends on finding the right track — and ideally, a wet forecast.