Ocean Odyssey

The winning four-year-old Iffraaj gelding Ocean Odyssey is a new addition to James Owen’s Newmarket stable. He joins the team at the right end of the handicap and looks poised to win again soon.

A well-related individual, Ocean Odyssey is a half-brother to the Gr.2 Blue Point Sprint winner Miqyaas and out of the Singspiel mare Fawaayed, an unraced half-sister to the Gr.2 Queen Mary Stakes winner and Gr.1 1,000 Guineas third Maqaasid. This is an exceptional Shadwell family over several generations that goes back to the high-class racemare and outstanding broodmare Height Of Fashion, dam of Nashwan, Unfuwain and Nayef.

Clearly bred to be a smart horse, Ocean Odyssey debuted in a 7f Leopardstown maiden in August of his two-year-old campaign, finishing an excellent fifth of ten behind the subsequently 90-rated Making Time. He would have only one more run for Michael O’Callaghan in Ireland before transferring to Britain, where he has been trained variously by Josh and Gary Moore and Murty McGrath.

Initially allocated a British handicap rating of 70, Ocean Odyssey failed to sparkle in a few runs last season but consequently found himself on a mark of 52 at the start of the 2025 campaign. After displaying promise in runs at Lingfield and Wolverhampton, he finally fulfilled his potential with a devastating six-length win in a 1m handicap at Southwell in late April.

Despite being rated just 48 when capturing that Southwell race, the way in which Ocean Odyssey destroyed the opposition clearly demonstrates that he can win races from higher marks. Subsequent form evidence strengthens that view, with runner-up Back From Dubai winning at Wolverhampton afterwards and Dash Power (who finished eighth at Southwell) going on to be beaten just a head at Yarmouth.

Ocean Odyssey has generally performed with credit in three runs since that Southwell success and is currently rated 57. That still looks lenient when you consider his pedigree and the way in which he earned his victory earlier in the season. It is also worth noting that he has joined one of the most upwardly mobile trainers in the country, capable of transforming horses sourced from other yards and taking them on long winning runs.

We think Ocean Odyssey has been shrewdly bought and look forward to a productive end to the season with him.