Castle Ivers

The recent form reads like a horse that has found its groove. Of the last 6 races, Castle Ivers has won 3 of them, and the sequence of results — 1, 11, 1, 16, 1, 3, reading from most recent back — tells an interesting story. There are two out-of-character runs buried in there, the kind of blips that every racehorse has, but what stands out is the ability to bounce straight back with a win each time. The most recent victory came at Perth just this week, which suggests a horse in the form of its life right now.

The partnership with jockey Sean Bowen is worth paying attention to. In 5 races together, Bowen has ridden Castle Ivers to 3 wins — a 60% win rate, or 3 from every 5 rides. That's the kind of partnership where horse and rider clearly understand each other, and trainers don't keep booking the same jockey for nothing.

Behind the scenes, trainer Olly Murphy has spoken warmly about this horse. Murphy is based at Wilmcote in Warwickshire and is having a serious season — his yard has sent out 146 winners this season, which puts him firmly among the busiest and most successful operations in British racing. He has described Castle Ivers as one of his brighter prospects, a horse with a point-to-point background who he sees as having a big future. After a win at Wetherby, Murphy mentioned Aintree and Ayr as potential targets — two of the most prestigious venues in the sport — though he also suggested the horse might be best saved for next season when it steps up to a higher level.

Castle Ivers started this journey with a first win at Southwell back in December 2023, and has been on an upward curve since. A horse winning over half its races, with a top jockey in the saddle and one of the country's most productive trainers calling the shots, is one very much worth following.