FEBRUARY REVIEW
The turf season is now upon us and we head into April at the top of the trainers’ championship, with a further 15 winners added this month.
Cool Hoof Luke became our first black-type winner of the year with a game success in the Listed Lady Wulfruna at Wolverhampton, with Oisin Murphy on board. The 2024 Gimcrack winner missed all of 2025, but is making up for lost time now and is a tremendously exciting prospect for the season ahead. The Lost King had provided us with the first leg of a double on the card, winning the Lincoln Trial under a prominent ride from Oisin, who did well to get the son of Kingman across from a wide draw. He has since run very well in defeat on AW Finals day and the Suffolk Stakes at Newmarket is a possibility for him.
A good second on his return to action, Respond went one better in great style at Chelmsford under Oisin Murphy and, given an 8lbs rise by the handicapper, ran another excellent race in defeat when third in the Rosebery at Kempton Park. He is one for some big handicaps this summer, with similar comments applying to Ghost Mode, who made an impressive winning reappearance at Southwell for Oisin. The handicapper has reacted with a 10lbs hike, but there is plenty of progress to come.
Infinite Dream had shown plenty of promise in two starts last term, but took a significant step forward on his seasonal reappearance at Newcastle, winning by a street in the hands of P J McDonald. He has since met with a setback but looks a very smart prospect for the future, as does Conclave, who won his debut race at Kempton Park in the Stewards’ Room at the beginning of the month under Jason Watson, and went on to finish runner-up in a highly-competitive novice contest on his next start.
New Monarch was too keen upped to a mile on Finals day, but had previously shed his maiden tag in great style at Kempton Park, making all the running under Oisin Murphy. Fourth in the Goffs Million last year, he can quickly get back on track. Caliban had won on his reappearance at Kempton Park in January and duly maintained his unbeaten start to the season with a comfortable front-running win at Southwell on handicap debut, with Oisin once again on board.
Montague Menace has done well over the winter and, gelded since the last of his three starts at two, he returned with a taking success in maiden company at Lingfield Park under Callum Hutchinson. He should continue to progress, as can Royal Standard, a very well-bred son of Sea The Stars who made it third time lucky with a wide-margin win at Wolverhampton under Hector Crouch.
Hard To Believe supplemented his novice win at Bath in October with victory at Wolverhampton on his reappearance, with Oisin Murphy steering him to an odds-on success. He will go handicapping off a fair mark and looks set for a successful campaign, as does Simplify, who made a winning return to action on her handicap debut at Wolverhampton with Hollie Doyle on board and should make a very bold bid for the hat-trick next time, having also won on her final outing at two.
A Taste Of Glory had his final start at two in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud and, back in calmer waters on his seasonal bow, he made all to score at Lingfield Park on handicap debut under Dan Muscutt and a 4lbs rise looks far from insurmountable.
Shrimp Shady remains on an upward curve and he landed his second career success by the narrowest of margins at Wolverhampton, under a strong ride from regular rider Rob Hornby. He has since finished a fine second on the AW Vase card at Lingfield Park and is a promising young stayer.
Solar Pass had won on her first start of 2025 and repeated the trick with a battling success at Southwell in the hands of Jason Watson. The half-sister to Mount Atlas has more to offer this term.