Realta Liath

That one career win came at Fontwell Park in November 2025, where she won by six and a half lengths — not a scrape over the line, but a proper statement. The following month she stepped up considerably in class and headed to Cheltenham, one of the most demanding tracks in the country, for a race against 14 rivals. She finished within three-quarters of a length of the winner. To put that in perspective: Cheltenham is where the best jump horses in Britain and Ireland come to prove themselves, and Realta Liath was barely a neck away from winning there on just her second start at that level.

Warren Greatrex trains her from his yard at Upper Lambourn in Berkshire, and it is a stable in good form — 50 winners already this season, which is a serious tally. Greatrex believes she is still improving, particularly over longer distances. She currently races over around two and a half miles, but the feeling in the yard is that three miles will suit her even better as she fills out and matures. What makes her especially versatile is that she handles any ground conditions — wet and muddy or fast and dry — which means no weather forecast can rule her out of a race.

Her regular partner in the saddle is James Bowen, who has ridden her in 8 of her 14 races without yet getting a win from the combination. That might look like a problem on paper, but given her recent placed runs and the way she finished at Cheltenham, it may simply be a matter of timing. A horse that goes on any ground, is clearly getting better with age, and was only beaten narrowly at Cheltenham is not one to dismiss. She looks like she has a good race in her — possibly a big one.