Grandlad

The most striking thing about Grandlad is what happens when the ground is normal — not too wet, not too dry, just right. In those conditions he has won 4 of his 5 races, an extraordinary 80% record that tells you almost everything you need to know about when to pay attention to him. Horses that are this specific about what suits them are worth following closely once the right conditions line up. He also has a particular fondness for Goodwood, one of Britain's most beautiful and tricky racecourses, where he has won 2 of his 4 visits — a course record that suggests he handles the undulating track better than most.

His career has had some genuinely notable moments. In August 2025 he won a Class 2 race at Hamilton Park — one of the better races you will find in Britain — which showed he could compete near the top level when conditions suited. And this week, just days ago, he went back to winning ways at Nottingham, his most recent victory on 26 April 2026. That kind of timely form makes him hard to ignore.

James Horton trains him out of Newmarket in Suffolk, a yard that has sent out 19 winners already this season, so this is clearly a team in good shape. Jockey Adam Farragher has ridden Grandlad in 15 of his races and between them they have won 4 times together — roughly 1 in every 4 rides — a partnership that clearly works. There is one puzzle, though: in 11 races at Class 3 level, Grandlad has yet to win. He steps up to Class 2 and delivers; he drops down and wins elsewhere. But the middle ground has so far eluded him, and that quirk is almost as interesting as his victories.