Approval

The trouble is, that win was nearly two years ago. Since then, Approval has raced six times without troubling the winner's enclosure, finishing no better than fifth in that run. Tenth, fifth, fifth, sixth, seventh, ninth — the recent numbers point to a horse that has lost its way a little, or at least hasn't found the right conditions to reproduce that summer of 2024 form. That said, Approval raced just yesterday, so this is very much a horse still in active training and presumably being aimed at something by the yard.

What makes Approval worth watching is a very clear preference for fast, dry ground. On that surface, the record reads 2 wins from 5 races — a 40% win rate, which is exceptional by any measure. That means on a dry summer's day, Approval wins roughly 2 in every 5 races it enters. Compare that to the overall career record of 2 wins from 13 (roughly 1 in every 6.5 races) and the difference is stark. Ground conditions matter enormously for this horse. When the sun has been out and the turf is quick underfoot, Approval is a completely different proposition.

Jockey Tom Marquand has been the regular partner, riding in 9 of the 13 races and winning both of them — that's a 22% win rate together, wins from roughly 1 in every 4-and-a-half rides. That's a meaningful partnership. Trainer E McNamara operates out of Rathkeale in County Limerick and has sent out 22 winners this season alone, so this is a yard in form.

The honest summary: Approval has shown it can win at a high level, but it needs things to fall right — particularly fast ground and a distance around a mile and three to four furlongs. If those boxes are ticked, this is not a horse to dismiss lightly.