Ed Bethell passed the £1 million prize money barrier in 2024 in only his fourth season training when his 58 winners collected £1,088,265 and the upwardly-mobile Middleham trainer will be pressing hard to try and match that total once more.
Bethell has notched up 22 winners so far this term and currently has netted £446,479 from 146 runners and with a busy second half of the season in the offing it is not beyond the realms of possibility that he makes that magic figure once more.
Bethell, who gained his first Group 1 when Regional won the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock in 2023, said: “We will certainly be trying but we probably really need another Group 1 to get there this time. The horses have been running well and long may it last.”
Regional is still in the fold to try and gain a second Group 1 success after another hallmark performance when third in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot. Whilst Paborus showed that he could well have a Pattern race win in him when finishing third to Quinault on his first run for new owners Wathnan Racing in the Group 3 Criterion Stakes at York (7f) in June.
Chillingham ran a sound race in the Old Newton Cup at Haydock on Saturday and could well pop up in big middle-distance handicap somewhere soon and there is surely black type awaiting the mare Azure Angel. Old Cock looks another who has plenty more to give and Sandringham Handicap fourth Oolong Poobong can set out her stall in fillies’ handicap.
With his season in full flow, Ed kindly talked to Tony Elves of attheraces.com about his main prospects in Thorngill House Stables.