First Instinct

What makes that number genuinely striking is the level at which those wins have come. First Instinct mostly runs in Class 1 company — the very top tier of racing in Britain — and winning even one of those races in a career is something most horses never manage. First Instinct has done exactly that, landing a Class 1 at Newbury in September 2025. To put it simply: this horse is not padding its record against easy rivals. It is competing at the highest level and still winning.

The partnership with jockey Tom Marquand is one worth noting. In five races together, they have won three — that is 60%, or 3 from every 5 rides. That kind of connection between horse and jockey is rare, and it suggests Marquand has a real feel for how this horse wants to be ridden. Haggas himself is in formidable shape this season, having sent out 170 winners already, so the stable confidence surrounding First Instinct is not misplaced.

One detail that could matter enormously going forward is how First Instinct handles the ground. On slightly wet or softer ground, the record reads 2 wins from 3 races — a 67% win rate. That means when conditions are in its favour, this horse wins more often than not. On fast, dry ground, the picture is less clear. Anyone watching First Instinct will want to keep one eye on the weather forecast.

Recent form does carry a note of caution. A ninth-place finish last time out is not what you want to see from a horse of this quality, and the last win came eight months ago at Newbury. But the overall record — built in top-level races, with a strong jockey partnership, trained by one of Britain's most prolific yards — suggests that one flat run is probably not the whole story. First Instinct still looks like a horse with more to give.