Duke Of Oxford

The horse found his winning formula relatively late in his career, with his first victory coming in March 2023, but once he got the taste he has kept improving. Most of his wins have come in Class 2 races, the kind of big-field contests where reputation and form matter hugely. His jockey Hector Crouch has been the perfect partner, winning 5 of their 8 races together at a striking 62% rate. Michael Bell's stable tour notes reveal a horse that has bloomed with intelligent management — "done very well over the last few years" and "a sort of family pet" at the yard — and the recent post-race comments from Crouch suggest he is peaking right now, "in the form of his life" and "spot on" after strategic gaps between races.

That form makes his Newcastle Class 2 victory on 16 January all the more significant. It came seven months ago, and the gap hints at the careful handling required to keep him firing. Bell has his sights set on the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle, a prestigious summer race where Duke finished third last year and where the horse clearly suits the track. The trainer sees him as a serious contender if he arrives fresh and ready — and given what he has shown over Kempton especially, that is worth taking seriously.