Brulure Noire

Look at the recent form — a third, a fifth, a second, and a third among the last six runs — and you see a horse that keeps finding its way onto the podium without quite getting to the top step. The last victory came at Chepstow in April 2024, now 25 months ago, so the yard will be eager to end that drought. At Class 4 level, where Brulure Noire spends most of its time, the win rate drops to just 1 from 11 races (9%) — which suggests this is a horse that can be a touch frustrating at that grade, competitive without being dominant.

Where things get genuinely interesting is on wet and muddy ground. In those conditions, Brulure Noire has won 2 from 4 races — a 50% win rate that is remarkable by any measure. Half of all races on heavy or very wet ground have ended in victory. That is not a coincidence; that is a horse that transforms when the mud flies. For anyone watching on a wet Welsh afternoon, that is the version of this horse worth seeing.

That Welsh connection extends to Ffos Las specifically, where Brulure Noire has won 2 of 5 races — a course record that marks it out as a genuine track specialist. Some horses just take to a particular place, and this one clearly does. Trainer Richard J Bandey, based in Tadley in Hampshire, has had 14 winners on the board this season, so the yard is in decent form. Jockey Harry Bannister has partnered Brulure Noire in 10 of its races and picked up 2 of those wins, winning roughly 1 in every 5 times they have gone out together. That's a settled partnership, and one that could yet deliver again — particularly if the skies open up and someone declares for Ffos Las.