2026 Flat - Editor's Star Ratings

Hats off to the Editor for sticking his head over the parapet and giving a score from 1-5 for all the horses in the Profile section this year.

I've grouped them by rating and added another section for horses that the Ed has described as 'could be anything'. Let's see how they all do.

5 Star

Bow Echo

Calandagan

Commandment

Diamonsd Necklace

4 Star

Abashiri

Asfoora

Charles Darwin

Christmas Day

Daryz

Gethin

Maho Bay

Minnie Hauk

Ombudsman

Power Fizz

Precise

Publish

Raaheeb

Renegade

Scandinavia

Venetian Sun

Zeus Olympios

3 Star

Addison Grey

Adonius

Alther Walden

Calendar Girl

Double Rush

Enoch

Faiyum

Go Rimbaud

Item

James J Braddock

Mezcala

Montezuma

My Ophelia

Needle Match

Objector

Purview

Quadrillion

2 Star

Amelia Earhart

Amor De Contramano 

Niminy Piminy

Railwayman

Schrodinger's Cat

Soldies Tree

Could be anything

James J Braddock

Needle Match

Objector

2026 Flat Profile - The ones who didn't make it

Montreal 3 y bc Sea The Stars Muwakaba

Highly regarded colt who made his debut at Leopardstown in July last year finishing 3rd in a 1m maiden, beaten 6 ¼ l by Hardy Warrior, then in August over course and distance won 1m maiden by 8l from Strikewhileitshot. He holds Group 1 entries in the English and Irish 2000 Guineas and both Derbys. 

Aidan O’Brien told The Punter: He won very easily at Leopardstown and is an exciting horse. He could be one for the Derby, but we haven’t picked out a starting point for him yet. He’s not short of pace, but we think he could stay a mile-and-a-half." He could be a dark one for the Derby.

Trainer A O’Brien

Study of Words 3 y bc Frankel - Discursus

Potentially high class colt who was a slow burner who came to the boil in his final appearance last season. He made his debut at Ascot in September, finishing 5th beaten 8l in a 1m maiden behind Maltese Cross, then at Goodwood 3 weeks later was 2nd in a 1m 2f maiden beaten ¾ l by Bay of Brilliance. He then won a 1m 2f Newmarket maiden by eye watering 15l recording the best Racing post rating for a novice or maiden win by any 2 year old last season. 

Bred to stay he holds a Derby entry and is 33/1 at the time of writing and his reappearance will tell us a lot more.

Trainer C.Appleby

2026 Flat Profile - Zeus Olympios

4 y ch c Night of Thunder – Rhea  (Bob, Martin Peej)

Lightly raced 4 year old, who was unraced at 2 but was unbeaten in 4 runs last season and looks a progressive sort. He made his debut at Kempton in January last year winning a 7f maiden by 1l from Chemical, then in August  at Thirsk, won a 1m novice stakes by 5 ½ l from Due West (received 7lb). In September at Haydock he won a 1m group 3 by 2l from Excellent Believe and finished the season with victory 3 weeks later at Newmarket winning a 1m group 2 by 2 ¼ l from Opera Ballo. 

Karl Burke told The Punter: "He’s a very exciting horse that we think a lot of and he will start in the Lockinge and have entries in all the Group 1 miles. He’s done well over the winter and filled his frame nicely." He reappeared at Sandown recently finishing 3rd in a 1 m group 2 beaten 3 ¾ l by Opera Ballo (gave 2lb).

Editors Rating - 4

Trainer K.Burke

2026 Flat Profile - Venetian Sun

3 y bf Starman – Johara  ( Martin, Peej)

High class 2 year old filly, she made her debut at Carlisle last May winning a 5f fillies novice stakes by 1 ½ l from Argentine Tango (gave 6lb), then followed up at Royal Ascot winning a fillies group 3 by 1 ½ l from Awaken. In July she went to Newmarket and won a 6f fillies group 2 by a neck from Royal Fixation, and stepped up again at Deauville in August, winning the 6f Group 1 Prix Morny by a short neck from Gstaad ( gave 4lb). 

She finished the season in September at Leopardstown, finishing 3rd in the 7f fillies group 1 Moyglare stud stakes, beaten 2 ½ l by Precise. Karl Burke told The Punter she will be aimed at the 1000 Guineas unless she looks unlikely to stay a mile. Her dam won over 1m 2f so she should, and Karl said she looks great after the break and is very exciting. .She is currently 7/1 for the English 1000, and 12/1 for the Irish. 

Editors Rating - 4

Trainer K Burke

2026 Flat Profile - Soldiers Tree

5 y bg Soldiers Call – Moonttri  (Bob)

The most interesting pick of all for me. I will be interested to hear how Bob found this one. Un raced at 2 and 3 he made his debut at Dundalk in December last year, finishing 3rd in a 1m maiden beaten 6 l by Tina’s Charm (received 6 lb), then in January this year won a 7f Apprentice maiden by 6l from Spacebound ( gave 3lb) then in April at Cork was 2nd in a 6f listed stakes, beaten 3 ¼ l by Navassa Island (received 5lb). 

That shows a fair level of ability and is probably why he has been perservered with, how he goes on will be interesting.

Editors Rating - 2

Trainer M Tynan

2026 Flat Profile - Schrodinger’s Cat

3 y bg Ardad – Singyoursong  (Peej)

Another interesting pick from Peej, he made his debut at Chepstow in May last year, finishing 6th beaten 7 ¾ l by Italica in a 6f maiden, then in June at Nottingham finished 2nd in a 5f maiden beaten ½ l by Lil Brother. 2 weeks later at Windsor he was 2nd again beaten 1 l by Irish Fighter (received 2lb ) in a 5f restricted maiden, then at Yarmouth in July was 3rd beaten 1 ½ l by Desert Treasure (received 7lb) in a 5f restricted maiden. 

In August at Mussleburgh he was 4th in a 5f novice stakes beaten ¾ l by Mission Classified, then at Ripon in August was 2nd in a 5f maiden beaten a nose by Kind Touch. He finished the season at Redcar winning a 5f restricted novice stakes by ½ l from Star Noir ( received 4lb).  

He was trained by Harry Charlton but has been gelded and recently moved to Grant Tuer, and reappeared at Thirsk recently finishing 2nd in a 5f handicap beaten 1 ¾ l by .Simplify ( gave 5lb), and should win a couple of similar handicaps on the northern circuit

Editors rating - 2

 

2026 Flat Profile - Scandinavia

4y bb c Justify – Fabulous (Bob, Cliff, Cod, Neil)

High class 3 year old who is a big hope at Ballydoyle to replace Kyprios in the staying division this season. He made his debut at Leopardstown in July 2024, finishing 3rd in a 1m maiden, beaten 4 ¼ l by Green Impact, then in August at Newmarket in another 1m maiden was 2nd to Anniversary beaten ¾ l. In Setember at Doncaster in another 1m maiden he was 7th to Yabher (received 3lb)  beaten 4 ¾ l, then reappearing at Navan last May, won a 1m 2f maiden by 3 ¼ l from Carthusian , then at Royal Ascot in June was 5th, beaten 1 ½ l in a 1m 6f group 2. In July at Newmarket he won a 1m 5f group 3 by 8 ½ l from Nighttime Dancer, and followed up at Goodwood 3 weeks later winning the 2m Group 1 Goodwood Cup by ¾ l from Illinois (received 14 lb), and finished the season at Doncaster with victory in the 1m 6f Group 1 St Leger, beating Rahiebb a neck. 

Editors Rating - 4

Trainer A O ‘Brien