It was another vintage year on the flat in 2024 and here we have the names that created headlines by winning the biggest events on the British flat racing calendar. Many will be in action again in 2025 so keep an eye on them to see if they can bag themselves another high-profile victory.
2,000 Guineas – Notable Speech
- Odds: 16/1
- Trainer: Charlie Appleby
- Jockey: William Buick
Something of a surprise in the first British Classic of the season as 16/1 shot Notable Speech was the first to pass the finishing post. The chestnut colt was caught in the rear around by the halfway mark but made his move as the field got stretched and powered home with aplomb in the final furlong.
1,000 Guineas – Elmalka
- Odds: 28/1
- Trainer: Roger Varian
- Jockey: Silvestre De Sousa
The other Guineas contest also witnessed an upset as it saw its longest-priced winner since 2018. Elmaka was the unfancied filly that produced the goods but she was made to work extremely hard for the win. After recovering from a slow start, she dug deep to edge out runner-up Porta Fortuna by a neck.
Epsom Oaks – Ezeliya
- Odds: 13/2
- Trainer: Dermot Weld
- Jockey: Chris Hughes
An incredible 43 years after his first Epsom Oaks win, Dermot Weld landed another courtesy of a supreme Ezeliya performance. With a furlong to go, the eventual winner was virtually tied with Dance Sequence but found an extra gear to break way, increasing the gap as she reached the line. Sadly, this proved to be her final performance as a training setback in July forced her into retirement.
Epsom Derby – City Of Troy
- Odds: 3/1
- Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- Jockey: Ryan Moore
City of Troy finished a disappointing ninth despite being the 4/6 favourite in the 2,000 Guineas but he made up for that showing here. Still attracting much market support, the American-bred horse repaid those who kept faith with a comfortable win. Following this dominant display, Aidan O’Brien declared him the best of his 10 Derby winners.
St Leger – Jan Brueghel
- Odds: 11/4
- Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- Jockey: Seana Levey
Aiden O’Brien had a real shot of a 1-2-3 finish in this race but had to make do with just 1-2. His two leading entries set off as joint favourites and what a spectacle they put on. It was there for either horse to win but with just a few strides to go, Jan Brueghel decisively got his neck in front of Illinois.
King Charles III Stakes – Asfoora
- Odds: 5/1
- Trainer: Henry Dwyer
- Jockey: Oisin Murphy
As in 2022, this race witnessed another Australian victory. Despite making only her second start on British soil, the mare began as the second favourite of the contest. Drawn wide in stall 17, Oisin Murphy drifted across the track to the main group before pulling ahead in unstoppable fashion.
Ascot Gold Cup – Kyprios
- Odds: 11/10
- Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- Jockey: Ryan Moore
Another unbelievable season from Kyprios saw him undefeated across seven starts. The richest win among them came in Ascot’s Gold Cup. He faced a serious challenge from Trawlerman in the contest but the 2022 champion found just that little bit extra to scoop up another victory.
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes – Goliath
- Odds: 25/1
- Trainer: Francis-Henri Graffard
- Jockey: Christophe Soumillon
Only one horse was trading at longer odds than Goliath in this event but the French-trained horse did not let this stop him. With two furlongs remaining four horses were still in serious contention but Goliath, who had been travelling strongly throughout, pushed clear and strolled home in commanding fashion.
Champion Stakes – Anmaat
- Odds: 40/1
- Trainer: Owen Burrows
- Jockey: Jim Crowley
Another big race and another shock result, this time coming in the Champion Stakes. It was a thrilling renewal of the £1.3m-valued contest as a congested field battled for gory down the home stretch. When a small gap opened up for Anmaat though, he squeezed through and did not look back.
Dewhurst Stakes – Shadow of Light
- Odds: Evens
- Trainer: Charlie Appleby
- Jockey: William Buick
Only five runners lined up for Britain’s most prestigious race for juveniles but despite the small field spectators enjoyed a thrilling battle. There was virtually nothing to separate the three front-runners with half a furlong to go but Shadow of Light just found enough to assert himself.
Futurity Trophy – Hotazhell
- Odds: 11/1
- Trainer: Mrs John Harrington
- Jockey: Shane Foley
It was a climactic ending to the final big flat race of the British flat racing season. Hotazhell was engaged in a neck-and-neck duel with well-fancied favourite Delacroix. As the pair left the rest of the pack in the dust, it was Hotazhell who managed to secure the win by a nose.