Chief Sunday

Put Chief Sunday on wet or muddy ground and the horse is transformed. Two wins from just four races in those conditions — that's winning half the time, a dramatic contrast to its overall numbers. Most horses have a preference, but a 50% record on soft ground is the kind of statistic that makes a trainer sit up. The yard clearly knows this, and finding the right day to run this horse is a big part of the puzzle.

That yard is the Twiston-Davies operation in Naunton, Gloucestershire, one of the more prolific training outfits around — 61 winners already this season, which is a serious body of work. Chief Sunday is one of many horses they manage, but it is far from forgotten. Sam Twiston-Davies, who is part of the same family, rides the horse most often and has been aboard for 10 of its 18 races together, contributing 1 of those wins. That's a 10% win rate as a partnership — not spectacular, but the relationship and understanding built up over that many races together has genuine value.

The most recent win came at Hereford on 15 January 2025 — now 16 months ago — following a first career win at Market Rasen back in November 2024. Two wins in close succession suggested things were clicking, but Chief Sunday has gone the last six races without adding to the tally. The recent form figures of 7-9 and a couple of gaps tell a story of a horse that is competitive enough to keep getting entries but hasn't quite recaptured that winning thread. Racing at Class 4 level — which is solidly mid-tier British racing — the horse has won just 1 from 8 at that grade, suggesting the competition is testing.

Still active and raced just yesterday, Chief Sunday is very much a work in progress. The formula for getting the best from this horse looks clear enough on paper: wet ground, the right race, and patience. Whether another win is coming soon probably depends on what the weather does.