Empire Rising

The raw numbers tell the story of a young horse still figuring things out. One win from five races means Empire Rising is winning roughly one in every five attempts, and the recent run of form — fourth, fourth, fourth, placed, then the win — shows a horse that was knocking on the door before finally getting over the line at Beverley. That Beverley win this week suggests the horse has found something, or that Clover has found the right race and conditions. With the yard already sending out 24 winners this season, there is clearly a team that knows how to train winners. For a two-year-old, that matters. These are horses still learning their trade, and having an experienced handler behind you makes a real difference. Empire Rising's quick return to the track is telling — Clover clearly thinks the horse is ready to build on this breakthrough.