Military Code

The early signs were encouraging. A first career win at Newmarket in April 2025, followed by a second success at Ascot the following month — two of the most prestigious venues in British racing, won in quick succession. That kind of form from a young horse attracts attention fast, and it explains why Military Code has been repeatedly stepped up into Class 1 races, the very top tier of the sport. The problem is that the horse has run four times at that level and not won once. That is not necessarily a failure — Class 1 is where the best horses in the country line up, and simply being competitive there means something — but it does tell you that Military Code is still working out how to win when the opposition is at its sharpest.

The recent form string of 13-7-2-7-2-17 tells a mixed story. Two second-place finishes are in there, which means the ability is showing up in glimpses, but the 13th and 17th-place efforts suggest some inconsistency. The horse has not won in its last 6 races, and it raced just yesterday, so it is in the middle of a busy campaign rather than being freshened up for a specific target.

William Buick, one of the best jockeys in the sport, has been the regular partner — they have won 2 of their 6 races together, a win rate of around 1 in 3, which is genuinely strong. And the whole operation sits within Charlie Appleby's powerful Newmarket yard, which has sent out 121 winners already this season. That is the kind of background that gives a horse every possible advantage. The question for Military Code is whether those Class 1 performances will eventually click into gear — because if they do, this young horse has already shown it can win at the venues that matter most.