Ayiko

Trained by S R B Crawford out of Larne in County Antrim, Ayiko is part of a yard that has sent out 12 winners already this season, so there is clearly ability being produced on the training ground. J J Slevin rides most often, partnering the horse in 6 of its 16 races and winning once together — a win rate of around 1 in 6. That is a decent working relationship without being a dominant one, and the broader career numbers tell a similar story: 2 wins from 16 races overall, which works out at roughly 1 in every 8.

The most recent win came at Ayr on 21 January 2025, now 15 months ago, and the six races since have produced no victories — a fourth, a second, a fifth, two blank returns, and a fourth most recently, with a race just yesterday keeping Ayiko firmly in action. That second place in the recent run is the most encouraging sign; it suggests the horse is not far off, just unable to quite get its head in front. On wet ground specifically, the figures jump to 2 wins from 6 races — a 33% win rate, or 1 in every 3 — which is the kind of number that should make people pay attention when the forecast turns grey and a trip to Ayr is on the cards.

Where Ayiko has genuinely struggled is when stepped up in class. In three races at Class 3 level — one step below the very top tier — the record reads zero wins from three attempts. That suggests this is a horse that finds its level rather than one that keeps improving, which is no bad thing. Plenty of horses make a career of knowing exactly where they belong. For Ayiko, that place appears to be Ayr, in the rain, doing what it does best.