We’re reaching the end of another extraordinary flat racing season, with British Champions Day at Ascot on October 19th drawing the curtain on what has been an unforgettable year. There has been a mix of winning favourites and longshot outsiders to keep those who participate in online horse racing betting enthralled as well.
So, as the top horses from the United Kingdom and Ireland set their sights on crowning glory at British Champions Day later this month, let’s take a look at the standout performers from the 2024 flat season to this point.
City Of Troy
Newmarket was abuzz at the beginning of the season, as 2023’s most exciting juvenile, City Of Troy, returned in the 2000 Guineas in May.
Almost everyone at HQ was expecting the Aidan O’Brien-trained son of Justify to prevail, but he flattered to deceive when getting wound up in the stalls and racing keenly to subsequently finish deep in the field.
That run split the opinions of pundits and racing fans alike, but City Of Troy has cast aside any doubts with impressive wins in the Derby, Sandown Eclipse and the International Stakes at York.
Porta Fortuna
An eye-catcher from the opening weekend of the campaign at Newmarket, Porta Fortuna was narrowly denied a 1000 Guineas triumph from odds of 11/1—losing by a neck to 28/1 outside Elmalka.
Trained by Aidan’s son, Donnacha, the filly has been worth following ever since—with three high-profile victories at Ascot, Newmarket’s July course and Leopardstown last month.
Porta Fortuna held off Opera Singer to win the Coronation Stakes, followed up with a comfortable win in the Falmouth before beating Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Fallen Angel in the Matron Stakes back on home soil.
Rosallion
Another horse who made an impression in the first Classics of the year, Rosallion was runner-up to Notable Speech in the 2000 Guineas—finishing over a length behind Godolphin’s shock winner at Newmarket.
The Richard Hannon-trained horse went over to Ireland for another Classic attempt, taking on the Irish renewal of the contest, and beat his stablemate Haatem by a head in a thrilling finish at the Curragh.
Rosallion was back in the winner’s enclosure again at Royal Ascot, beating the highly-regarded Henry Longfellow by a neck in the St James’s Palace Stakes. An infection ruled him out of Goodwood at the end of July, and he hasn’t been seen since.
Notable Speech
It’s been a quiet couple of seasons for Godolphin by their extremely high standards. However, Notable Speech has certainly given Charlie Appleby and company something to celebrate this campaign—raising over £900,000 in prize money.
The Dubawi colt made a late debut when appearing for the first time at Kempton in January when already three, but made up for any lost time by racking up three successive wins over a mile at the Surrey course.
That set up a bid for the 2000 Guineas, and Notable Speech proved the majority of racing experts wrong by going on to win the prestigious Classic on his turf debut. He landed another Group 1, the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood in July, and the Breeders’ Cup could be on the agenda.
Bluestocking
Juddmonte’s Bluestocking has aged like a fine win. The Ralph Beckett-trained filly was perhaps incredibly unlucky not to win in her three-year-old campaign last year, finishing in the top three in five of her six starts.
However, she has been remarkable this season, winning three of her five starts. Bluestocking kicked off the season with group wins at York and the Curragh before making good accounts of herself against the opposite sex at Ascot and York.
Back against the fillies at Longchamp last month, Bluestocking returned to winning ways in the Prix Vermeille—rallying under Rossa Ryan in the closing stages to beat Adventure by three-quarters of a length.