Elsass

The key to Elsass lies in distance and track preference. Over a mile and three to a mile and four furlongs, he becomes a different proposition entirely, winning three times from just eight races at those lengths — a 38% win rate that stands out sharply against his overall figures. His trainer, Charlie Johnston, runs a prolific yard at Middleham Moor in North Yorkshire that has sent out 131 winners already this season, so the horse is in a professional operation. His most recent win came at Hamilton Park on 15 May, now three months in the past, and he raced just a day ago, so he remains active and in work.

What is curious is his record with his regular jockey, Joe Fanning, who has partnered him eight times for just a single win. That 12% win rate — roughly 1 win in every 8 races — suggests the chemistry is not always there. Elsass typically contests Class 5 races, the lower echelons of British racing, where his 20% win rate at that level is modest. He first won at Chelmsford on 21 August 2025, a full year into his racing career, and since then has found the winner's circle just twice more. For a horse approaching his fifth year, that feels like he may have plateaued at a certain level — capable of winning when the distance suits and the opposition breaks right, but without the consistency or spark to kick on.