Silver Trumpet

The last six runs read 1-7-2-5-4-3, and that win — at Epsom Downs on 15 August 2025 — is worth dwelling on. Epsom is one of British racing's most unusual tracks, a switchback course that sorts out horses with balance and tactical intelligence. Winning there means something. It was Silver Trumpet's first victory since opening his account at Southwell in March 2024, and it came after a difficult spell that Johnson Houghton has been candid about. He won at Salisbury, she explained, and the handicapper responded by putting his weight up 9 lb — a significant jump that effectively moves a horse into tougher company overnight. A wind operation followed, suggesting the team felt there was more to find physically.

The distance profile is one of the clearest things in his favour. Over seven furlongs to a mile — his preferred range — he has won 3 of his 16 races, a win rate of 19%, or roughly 1 in every 5. That is a meaningfully better number than his overall record suggests, and it points to a horse who has a genuine gear at those trips when conditions are right. He also handles normal ground well, winning 2 of his 6 races on it — a 33% win rate, which is exceptional by any measure.

The one awkward figure is his record at Class 4, the level where he most often competes: 0 wins from 13 races. That zero does not mean he has been terrible — nine places from 24 career races tells you he is regularly in the mix — but it does suggest he finds it hard to cross the line first when the weights are stacked against him. His regular partner Charles Bishop has ridden him 15 times for a single win together, which underlines how fine the margins have been.

Johnson Houghton's yard has sent out 39 winners this season, so this is a stable in good form. Silver Trumpet raced just yesterday and is clearly being kept busy. The wind op, the course win at Epsom, the improving recent form — all of it points to a horse his team believes still has a result in him.