The Andrew Balding-trained听Gewan听has been confirmed as the European Champion Juvenile for 2025听with a rating of 121.
A winner of the听Group 1听Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket鈥檚 Rowley Mile in October,听Gewan鈥檚听final mark has been agreed听by a panel of international handicappers and听enabled the colt to听hold off the significant challenge of, in particular,听a听group of high-quality Ballydoyle colts.听
Gewan, recruited from the Arqana May Breeze-Up Sale for 鈧�80,000 having been purchased originally from Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, followed up a debut win at Newbury in July with an impressive defeat of Italy (112) in the Group 3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes at York.
His defeat of Gstaad听at Newmarket to end the season听followed a sole defeat in the Group 2 Betfred Champagne Stakes at Doncaster听and confirmed him a听leading Classic prospect for听2026.听
Following听Gewan听is the Aidan O鈥橞rien-trained pair of Gstaad and Puerto Rico, each with a mark of 119, while stablemates听Hawk Mountain (116)听and Action (115) also take high rank.听
O鈥橞rien is also responsible for the highest-rated fillies听in the听,听with听Precise and True Love being awarded a mark of 115.听
The second-highest rated British representative, with a mark of 118, is the Eve Johnson Houghton-trained听Zavateri. A winner of four of his five starts, the Without Parole colt won the Group 1 Goffs Vincent O鈥橞rien National Stakes at the Curragh prior to finishing fourth behind听Gewan听in the Dewhurst.听
Britain鈥檚 highest-rated filly is Venetian Sun. Trained by Karl Burke, she too took Group 1 honours in the听Sumbe听Prix Morny at Deauville to go alongside her victories in the Group 3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes (sponsored by bet365) at Newmarket鈥檚 July Festival.听
Graeme Smith, BHA Handicapping Team Leader, said: 鈥淕ewan听became the first outright European Champion 2YO to听emerge听from Kingsclere in the 48-year history of the classification, bettering the achievement of Andrew Balding鈥檚听previous听Dewhurst 鈥� and听subsequent听QIPCO 2,000 Guineas 鈥� winner Chaldean (119) in 2022.听
鈥淗e follows Forest Flower (125 in 1986) and Mrs Penny (joint Champion in 1979 at 121), who were both crowned Champion 2YO Fillies for Andrew鈥檚 late father, Ian.听
鈥淕ewan鈥檚听121 performance in defying long odds in a representative Darley Dewhurst Stakes capped a stellar year for his sire, Night听Of听Thunder.听As well as being represented in 2025 by the top-class Ombudsman and QIPCO 1,000 Guineas winner Desert Flower, the Darley stallion听established听a strong hand for the 2026 Classics.听听
鈥淭attersalls Online Royal Lodge Stakes听winner听Bow Echo听and Distant Storm, who finished third behind the imposing grey听Gewan听in the Dewhurst,听also rank within the top 11 in this year鈥檚 Classification.鈥�听
IHRB Handicapper Mark Bird听said: 鈥淎idan O鈥橞rien trained听Europe鈥檚 Champion Juvenile Filly听for the third year in a row and for a record ninth time in total as Precise听and True Love听shared top billing on a rating of 115.听听
鈥淭rue Love鈥檚听victory in the Group 1听Tattersalls Sceptre Sessions Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket was matched by Precise鈥檚 success in the Group听1 Bet365 Fillies鈥� Mile at the same track two weeks later.听听
鈥淚n what was a banner year for the Ballydoyle-trained听two-year-olds, Aidan trained a record seven individual听two-year-old听Group/Grade 1 winners in 2025. He also matched his听previous听best total of nine听two-year-old听Group/Grade 1 race wins in a听calendar year,听as well as equalling his highest total of听two-year-old听winners (three) at Royal Ascot.听听
鈥淭his dominance of the听two-year-old听landscape is reflected in听his听being responsible for听six听of the top 10 horses in the Classification.听
鈥淭wo of the four Ballydoyle Group听1-winning colts ended the year tied as Champion听two-year-old听in Ireland on a rating of 119. Gstaad听landed the Grade听1 Breeders鈥� Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar after running up three times in听elite听company, while Puerto听Rico听went from strength to strength to win both the Group听1 Qatar Prix Jean Luc Lagardere and the Group听1 Criterium International in France by season鈥檚听end.鈥�听
See the full 2025 European 2yo Classification .
Ones to Watch in 2026听
Graeme Smith
Talk Of New York听(Wootton Bassett 鈥撎齍sherette)
Charlie Appleby听
This colt created听a huge impression when blowing a 13-runner maiden at Kempton apart on his sole start in October, thrashing the 82-rated Go Rimbaud by听five-and-a-half lengths,听with a further听four听back to Impossible Dream, both of whom endorsed the form next time.听
Not only did Talk听Of听New York do remarkably well to put so much distance between himself and the others off a modest pace,听he听also clocked a superb time in the circumstances, without looking flat out.听
By a brilliant stallion and out of a Duke听Of听Cambridge winner, he is exciting.听
Protection Act听(Starspangledbanner听鈥� Privacy Order)
George Boughey听
George Boughey has a leading Guineas contender in the shape of Bow Echo听but听there鈥檚听a听lesser-known听one in his care that could also make a splash in the听Classic trials and beyond in the shape of Protection Act.听听
The son of听Starspangledbanner听looked a surefire听Pattern colt when winning a strong maiden at Haydock in July, going further on听the听bridle than anything else and never flat out despite having had to delay his challenge while looking to secure a clear run.听
The time of the race is excellent for a debutant 鈥� it supports a figure as high is 99 鈥� and while he听wasn鈥檛听seen again last year,听the form got听stronger and stronger听in his absence, with听four听of the next听five听home all finishing the campaign rated above 90.听
Assuming his absence proves to be nothing serious,听he could be one to look forward to.听
Enoch听(Frankel 鈥撎鼶arkova)
John & Thady Gosden听
One of a host of once-raced winners sent out by the听Gosdens听last year, Enoch听overcame a disadvantageous position to beat听three听experienced rivals who are all rated north of 80 when winning a novice at Newmarket in September.听
Having been shuffled back behind听other runners, Enoch was the best part of听five lengths听down with less than听three furlongs听to race听but听made that up and went right past without ever needing maximum pressure.听
His effort was听all the more听encouraging considering听seven furlongs听is likely to be at the bottom end of his stamina. This half-brother to the French Derby and Champion Stakes winner Almanzor looks to have a bright future.听
鈻讹笍 Alongside the publication of the 2025 European 2yo Classification today, BHA Handicapper Graeme Smith has picked out three of last season’s lightly-raced juveniles to follow in 2026.
鈥� British Horseracing Authority (@BHAHorseracing)
Mark Bird听
Shosholoza听(Australia 鈥� Ecosse)
Joseph O鈥橞rien听听
Shosholoza听created a taking impression when landing a Tipperary maiden on debut in early October in听a good time. Overcoming a slow start, he learned quickly during the race and ran out a ready winner from a听subsequent听Curragh maiden winner.听
He acquitted himself well when taking a huge step up in class just three weeks later, running fifth in the听Criterium International.听听
From a Juddmonte family, his pedigree is abundant in stamina and with some requisite experience under his belt at two, he could develop into a very smart staying prospect at three.听听
Montreal听(Sea听The听Stars 鈥撎齅uwakaba)
Aidan O鈥橞rien听
Montreal听made light work of eight rivals when romping home an听eight-length winner of a Leopardstown maiden in early August. Although setting a steady pace in making all the running on that occasion, his finishing fractions were听impressive听and he looked a colt potentially from the top drawer.听
The only horse sired by Sea听The听Stars among the 50 individual two-year-old winners trained in Ireland at Ballydoyle in 2025, he looks to听possess听a nice blend of speed and stamina and could potentially听emerge听to take high rank among the听three-year-olds听this coming season.听
