City Of Poets

The record on normal ground tells an even sharper story. On a standard surface, City Of Poets has won 2 of its 4 races — exactly half — and that consistency is precisely the kind of stat that makes a horse attractive whenever conditions are right. It clearly moves best when the ground is neither too wet nor too dry, and the team will be well aware of that when plotting its next target.

At Class 5 level — the bread and butter of the racing calendar, where competitive fields meet horses still climbing the ladder — City Of Poets has been almost ruthless, winning 2 of its 3 races there. That is a 67% win rate, or two wins from every three attempts, which is exceptional by any measure. It points to a horse that is comfortably good enough for that grade, and the natural question now is whether it can translate that form when the opposition steps up.

Tate himself is enthusiastic. Speaking earlier this summer, he described City Of Poets as a really nice horse that is still growing up and developing — which, coming from a trainer who has sent out 48 winners already this season, carries real weight. He was quick to put a disappointing sixth at Sandown into context, calling it a rough race and backing the horse to bounce back. He also hinted at the future: currently running over seven furlongs, Tate would not rule out stepping up to a mile, suggesting there may be more to come as the horse matures.

City Of Poets last won at Wolverhampton in November — six months ago now — but raced just yesterday, so it is firmly in active training and being aimed at targets. The career began with a first win at Lingfield Park in April 2025, and with a trainer this confident and a record this tidy, the next chapter looks worth following.