Ajrad

The most interesting thread running through Ajrad's career is what happens when the team works out how to ride him. Millman has spoken openly about the horse being "a bit too clever" — meaning he would switch off or turn awkward when asked to race prominently. The fix was simple in theory but took time to discover: drop him in at the back, let him travel in his own rhythm, and he suddenly started enjoying himself. Before that change he was described as "resentful" when ridden closer to the front. It is a small adjustment that turned a frustrating horse into a winner, and it explains why his best patch of form — two wins and two seconds in four races — came in a cluster once Millman found the key.

His record at Chepstow is the headline stat. Three wins from just 7 races there means he wins more than 1 in every 3 visits to that track, which is a genuinely remarkable number. For context, his overall win rate is 1 in 7 — so Chepstow roughly triples his chances. He clearly loves the place. His preferred trip of one mile to one mile and two furlongs suits him too, with 4 wins from 14 races at those distances, again landing around 1 in every 3.5 races. Normal ground conditions also bring out the best in him: 2 wins from 7 races on a standard surface, winning nearly 1 in 3 times.

His most trusted jockey is Lewis Edmunds, who has won 3 of their 13 races together — that is 23%, or nearly 1 in every 4 rides, well above Ajrad's overall average. The last win came at Bath in September 2025, eight months ago, and his last six runs have yielded nothing better than sixth. That is a lean stretch. But Rod Millman's yard has sent out 42 winners already this season, which is a yard in confident form, and a horse with Ajrad's track record at Chepstow is always worth watching when that course comes around again.