The Notebook - 20th June 2026

Not every big performance results in a headline victory. Sometimes it is the subtle runs, the late headway, the eye-catching move through the field, or the effort despite unfavourable conditions, that signal a horse ready to strike next time. Here are four runners who caught the eye this week and may be worth adding to your tracker for future races...

Trawlerman

Considering he has won an Ascot Gold Cup, it feels like I am cheating putting Trawlerman in this column, but I have to discuss possibly my favourite race of the flat season to date. This was some effort from the veteran, narrowly going down to the new staying king of the division, Scandinavia, but Trawlerman showed the fire still burns deep, and had he had a prep run before this race, it could well have been a different outcome. I’d assume he was 90% fit for the race, and you only noticed the lack of that extra 10% in the final furlong where he was worn down. The two best stayers locking battle in glorious sunshine and pulling well-clear of their rivals made for exceptional viewing. There may be one more hurrah for Trawlerman this season.

Gstaad

In similar fashion, I am making full use of my creative licence to get another Group 1 winner in this list, and this time it is Aidan O’Brien’s Gstaad. The main narrative coming into the race was would he be able to turn the form around with 2000 Guineas winner Bow Echo. I was of the opinion he wouldn’t, but it would be closer than the two-and-three-quarter length margin at Newmarket. Gstaad battled all the way to the line and would have likely won if there was another 100 yards. He could step up in trip to ten furlongs, remarkable when you think he won the Coventry Stakes at this meeting last year over six. He takes his racing well and is hardy. If he went for a trilogy against Bow Echo, I think he may turn the tables.

Daryz

Now we have the winner of the 2025 Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe, Daryz. As you can tell I really dug deep into the heart of British Horse Racing to find these selections… He bumped into Ombudsman, who is in my opinion, the best 10-furlong horse in the world, who had is ideal race conditions and was sharp from a prep run a few weeks before. Fast ground over a mile and two furlongs is not Daryz’s ideal race setup. He is better with some juice in the ground and over an extra two furlongs, both of which became evident as the race developed. He was being cajoled along a fair way out, so I was impressed he hung in there as the leader skipped clear. I suppose his class got him that far. He would take a lot of beating in a soft ground Arc.

Wimbledon Hawkeye

Finally, I was shocked to see Wimbledon Hawkeye has only won three races from fifteen starts in his career. It made more sense, when I looked at the calibre of horses who finished ahead of him. Ombudsman, The Lion In Winter, Field Of Gold, Merchant, Amiloc, Pride Of Arras. Do I need to carry on? He is likeable and often runs his race, which he did at Royal Ascot in the Wolferton Stakes. He just happened to bump into another fantastic horse in Map Of Stars, who, while frustrating to back through his career, has plenty of talent. I am a believer that most horses who are half-decent or better will have their big day where they land a valuable pot. Wimbledon Hawkeye is far too good to not land a big prize somewhere in the near future.