(Stock ID: 1120547348)
British Champions Day at Ascot recently drew the curtain on another flat racing season. Oisin Murphy stole the headlines once again, claiming a fifth Champion Jockey title, while the usual suspects—Aidan O’Brien, Andrew Balding, and John and Thady Gosden—fought down to the wire over the Trainers’ Championship.
But outside the big names, several trainers and jockeys quietly put together exceptional campaigns that perhaps didn’t get the recognition they deserved. For punters hunting for value, whether through horse racing free bets or savvy ante-post wagering, keeping an eye on these under-the-radar performers could’ve paid off. Here are four of them.
Cieren Fallon
There were no real surprises in the top three of the Champion Jockey standings, with Murphy holding off Billy Loughnane and Rossa Ryan. But what did catch the eye was Cieren Fallon sneaking into the top five, racking up 91 wins from 458 rides at a 20% strike rate.
Fallon did most of his damage aboard horses for William Haggas, notably landing several Listed contests and the Group 3 Winter Hill Stakes on Silawi for Hamad Al Jehani—a quietly impressive campaign.
Clifford Lee
Clifford Lee may have narrowly missed out on a top 10 finish in the Jockeys’ Championship, finishing with 56 wins from 372 rides, but 2025 was a career-defining year on a personal level.
Forging a formidable partnership with Karl Burke, Lee recorded multiple high-profile victories, including his first career Group 1 success aboard Venetian Sun in the Prix Morny at Deauville.
He also added several Group 2 wins in the Sky Bet York Stakes, the Joel Stakes, and the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes. For Lee, this season has been nothing short of revolutionary.
Karl Burke
Since Lee’s success has been closely linked to his rides, it’s only fair to highlight the man behind the horses. Karl Burke is emerging as one of the UK’s—and possibly Europe’s—leading trainers of juveniles, a reputation reflected in his record this year: 53 wins from 201 runs with two-year-olds on the turf, a strike rate of 26%.
Beyond Lee, Burke produced dual Group 1 winner Fallen Angel, ridden by James Doyle on both occasions, and ended the season with 116 wins from 302 runs, earning over £3.3 million in prize money. His ability to consistently deliver quality horses has quietly made him a standout figure this year.
Christophe Soumillon
Christophe Soumillon is one of Europe’s top riders, but his time in the UK and Ireland has often drawn criticism, particularly after stepping in for the injured Ryan Moore at Ballydoyle.
Covering for Moore is no easy task, yet Soumillon deserves far more credit than he has received. The Belgian-born jockey showed his class repeatedly this season.
He notably won the Fillies’ Mile aboard Precise, the Zetland Stakes on Pierre Bonnard, the Irish Champion Stakes with Delacroix and the two-year-old race on Champions Day with Mission Central.
His strike rate may not reflect the high expectations that come with riding for Coolmore, but his quality and adaptability have been undeniable.
