Escapologist

His first win came at Fakenham in January 2025, a course known for its tight, quirky layout that suits horses with a bit of grit about them. He followed that up with a second victory at Market Rasen in March 2026 — just eight weeks ago — which means he heads into his current campaign with recent winning form, always a good sign. Market Rasen is a fair, galloping track where straightforward, honest horses tend to thrive, and Escapologist looks exactly that kind of animal.

James Owen trains him out of Newmarket, and the yard has been in fine fettle this season — 204 winners sent out is a serious number, the mark of an operation firing on all cylinders. Within that set-up, Escapologist is not the headline act, but he is the kind of dependable performer that keeps a yard ticking over. Owen has spoken about wanting to see him progress over fences, believing that two and a half miles over obstacles could bring out the best in him — an interesting angle that suggests there may be more to come from this horse than his current record implies.

In the saddle most often is Mr Alex Chadwick, who has ridden him in 5 of his 14 races and got the winner out of him once — a 20% win rate together, or 1 win from every 5 rides, which is actually a respectable return. Most of Escapologist's races have come at Class 4 level, one rung below the top end of everyday racing, where he has won 1 from 6. That context matters: he is not a horse being campaigned for glory, but he is competitive at his level, has run just yesterday, and is clearly in the middle of an active season. For a horse still finding his feet over fences, the next few months could be the most interesting of his career so far.