April Review: A Season Begins to Unfold

April is always an exciting time of year as the turf season gets into full swing. Our stable stars begin to make their seasonal reappearances, offering an early glimpse of what the 2026 campaign may hold.

To start the month, Gethin powered clear of the field at Kempton to win the Listed Magnolia Stakes on his seasonal return. Having shown plenty of class last season, he won comfortably by 3¼ lengths under jockey Callum Rodriguez for owners M J & L A Taylor. He looks a very exciting horse for the future, with several Group race targets in mind.

On the opening day of the turf season at Sandown, we eagerly awaited Raaheeb getting his three-year-old campaign underway after winning on his only start as a two-year-old at Ascot. He didn’t disappoint, dominating the field in the Group 3 bet365 Classic Trial, a key Derby trial for June. A full brother to our multiple Group 1 winner Hukum and the brilliant Baaeed, he showed true class under jockey Rossa Ryan for his owner breeder Shadwell.

We also enjoyed further success on the track with Shayhana, owned and bred by Shadwell, who broke her maiden on her second start at Wolverhampton.

Looking ahead, we have an exciting weekend to kickstart May, beginning with Remmooz in the Listed Paradise Stakes on Friday on Royal Ascot Trials Day, a trial for the Queen Anne Stakes. We also have an exciting Guineas Festival, highlighted by Touleen in the 1000 Guineas following her second-place finish in the Group 3 Fred Darling on her seasonal reappearance. Falakeyah is also entered for the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes and will be looking to build on her success at the Guineas Festival, having won the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at the meeting last year.