It has been an excellent summer of flat racing in the United Kingdom, which followed a thrilling conclusion to the National Hunt Season at Cheltenham and Aintree.
The flat season is slowly reaching its climax with Champions Day at Ascot set to take place in October, before all sights will be back over the jumps with Cheltenham’s November meeting one of the early standout events on the calendar.
But, who have been some of the standout performers in the United Kingdom throughout this season? You can check how to bet on horse racing with TwinSpires.com works here if you want to find the odds for these equines.
Paddington
Much was made about Aidan O’Brien’s chances of winning the Triple Crown with Auguste Rodin this season, but it has been another three-year-old from his stable that has set the world slight on British soil. Paddington has already gained a cult-like following, with the name of the horse proving particularly popular among younger fans. However, nobody can dismiss the form that we have seen from the three-year-old throughout this season.
Paddington landed the G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas in late May, before going on to dismantle some of the highest profile stars on track. That included a three-length victory over G1 2,000 Guineas winner Chaldean in the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes, before beating Emily Upjohn by half a length in the G1 Coral-Eclipse.
He returned to a mile at Goodwood in early August to beat Facteur Cheval with a gritty effort by a length and a half in the G1 Sussex Stakes. He has won over a range of distances, on a range of conditions, and he is truly one of the most special horses we have seen throughout 2023.
Westover
According to ratings, Westover is the best horse trained in the United Kingdom at present. He holds an official TimeForm figure of 132, which is marginally higher than the horse that beat him in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in late July.
The four-year-old remains an incredibly talented operator and was slightly unfortunate to lose to Hukum by a head on his return to action in Britain. Westover landed Group 1 success in France at the start of July, and there is no secret that Ralph Beckett is targeting another run in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with the runner this year.
He ran an excellent race in 2022, but he could only finished sixth at Longchamp in really testing conditions. This is one of just two races in stakes company that he has finished outside of the top three, and he remains a horse worth considering when it comes to the biggest race on turf in the world in October.
Constitution Hill
There are few guesses required to discover the horse that many are looking forward to seeing when the National Hunt season resumes later this year. Constitution Hill is always rated among the best hurdlers that we have ever seen, holding an official TimeForm rating of 177p.
However, owner Michael Buckley faces a challenging decision over the summer, as it will be determined whether he will be sent chasing. There are clear pros on both sides, with the owner teasing that he has always dreamt of winning the Gold Cup with the six-year-old. But, the Nicky Henderson runner has been exceptional throughout his career, and he could go down as the best hurdlers of all time if he remains over the smaller obstacles.
He landed a thrilling victory in the G1 Champion Hurdle last season, beating the highly progressive State Man by a stunning nine lengths. There would be nothing stopping Constitution Hill from winning the next three or four editions of the race at the Cheltenham Festival if he continues his upward trajectory. But, there is no shortage of fans asking to see the six-year-old test the waters as a chaser, as we could potentially witness one of the greatest National Hunt horses of all-time.