Emperor Caradoc

What makes Emperor Caradoc genuinely interesting is his love of fast, dry ground. In only 7 races on those conditions he has won 3 times — that's 43%, or nearly every other race. That is a remarkable conversion rate and suggests that when conditions suit him, he becomes a different animal. Even on wet or muddy ground he has won 2 from 8, which is 25%, so he is no one-trick pony. His trainer Paul Midgley — who runs a busy yard in Westow, North Yorkshire, having sent out 39 winners already this season — believes the horse actually travels better over six furlongs than five, and that he performs best when the field is small enough for him to impose himself. Put him in a big, competitive race and he can get a little lost; give him fewer rivals and room to race on his own terms, and he becomes far harder to beat.

His most trusted partner in the saddle is David Nolan, who has won 3 of their 11 races together — that's 27%, or more than 1 in every 4. By the standards of horse-and-jockey partnerships, that is a strong record and suggests the two have developed a real understanding.

Most tellingly, Emperor Caradoc is in the form of his life right now. He won at Thirsk just last week on 2 May 2026, and his recent run of results shows a horse who finished first and second in his last two outings — a sharp upturn after a few quieter efforts earlier in the sequence. He raced again just yesterday, which tells you Midgley has him in good shape and is keeping him busy while the form holds. At seven, horses often know exactly what they're doing, and Emperor Caradoc looks like one who is making the most of it.