Follow Charlie

What stands out most is Follow Charlie's preference for normal ground conditions. On firm, dry tracks it tends to thrive — three wins from six races on that surface, a 50% success rate that suggests real aptitude. Softer or muddier conditions appear less to its liking, which is useful intelligence for anyone following the horse's next moves. The recent form has been encouraging: two wins in the last six races, with a fourth-place finish most recently, before that another fourth, and a run of mid-field efforts before. That suggests a horse that's currently in decent shape rather than fading away.

Trained by R Mike Smith at Galston in East Ayrshire, Follow Charlie runs mostly in Class 4 races — the lower tiers of the sport, which is honest work. Ben Smith has ridden it most often, though the partnership hasn't quite clicked; Smith has won twice from sixteen rides aboard the horse, which is below the horse's overall win rate. The yard itself has been productive this season with 25 winners sent out, so Follow Charlie is part of a working operation. For a horse now seven years old and active, having just won at Perth, Follow Charlie is doing what it does best: turning up at the tracks where it belongs and occasionally finding the winner's circle.