Forty Years On

The career trajectory has been sharp and upward. The first win came at Doncaster in late March 2025, and from there the form has been consistently strong: the last five results read 3rd, 1st, 1st, 1st, 2nd — meaning Forty Years On has finished in the top two in four of those five races. The only blemish was a third, which on a record like this barely registers as a stumble. The most recent victory came at Ascot in September 2025, which matters. Ascot is one of Britain's most prestigious venues, the kind of track that separates horses who are merely good from those with a bit of class about them. Winning there counts for something.

Behind the scenes, this horse is trained by George Scott at his Newmarket yard in Suffolk — a base with serious credentials in British racing. Scott's team has sent out 53 winners this season, which is a strong body of work and a sign that horses leaving that yard are well prepared and well placed. Forty Years On is clearly one they have handled with care.

The one question mark is the absence. Forty Years On has not raced in roughly six months, returning from a break that began after the Ascot win. That is a long time off, and even with a record this good, it introduces an unknown: has the horse come back as sharp as it left? The trainer will know the answer to that better than anyone. What the record tells us is that when this horse is fit and ready, it tends to win — and win at good tracks, against decent company. That is not a horse to underestimate on its return.