The 2025 Flat season is entering its decisive stretch, with racing fans witnessing dramatic action across Doncaster, Leopardstown, and the Curragh. While Aidan O’Brien continues to dominate, new challengers are beginning to make their presence felt—among them, Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing operation, which is seeking validation after a major spending spree.
Joorabchian has poured vast sums into racing over the past year, including close to £25 million on yearlings at the Tattersalls Book 1 Sale and the purchase of the historic Freemason Lodge stables in Newmarket. Despite these bold moves, results on the track have been underwhelming for much of the season. Royal Ascot, Newmarket’s July festival, and York’s Ebor meeting all passed without a victory, while management changes added further turbulence.
Signs of revival have begun to emerge, however. Adrian Murray’s yard in Ireland delivered Group One victories through Power Blue in the Phoenix Stakes and Arizona Blaze in the Flying Five, the latter securing a Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint berth. Amo Racing has yet to taste success at the Breeders’ Cup despite 14 attempts, so a breakthrough at Del Mar would be a landmark achievement.
Looking ahead, much expectation rests on Ancient Egypt, a son of Frankel bought for £1.15 million. Trained by Charlie Johnston, the colt is unbeaten in two starts and holds an entry in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket. Should he progress to become a leading contender for the 2,000 Guineas next spring, Joorabchian’s heavy investment could start to feel justified.
The long-term ambition for Amo Racing is clear: replicate the Coolmore model of developing elite stallions, creating a cycle of breeding, racing, and reinvestment. The financial rewards of finding a horse of Galileo’s or Frankel’s stature are staggering, with stallion careers often generating far more than racecourse winnings. Achieving this, however, requires patience, vast funding, and a stroke of luck.
As the season builds toward Paris, Ascot, and the Breeders’ Cup, Amo Racing has much to prove. Success from Ancient Egypt or another of its big-ticket prospects could turn a middling campaign into one of promise, marking the beginning of a genuine challenge to the established giants of the sport.
