Great Chieftain

The broader numbers back up a horse that earns its keep. From 19 races, Great Chieftain has won 5 and placed a further 9 times — meaning it has finished in the first three in roughly 14 of every 19 races it has entered. That is a win rate of about 1 in every 4 races, and it has been particularly effective at Class 3 level, which sits just below the top tier of British racing. At that level it has won 3 from 5, a 60% win rate that suggests it has found a comfortable home without being over-faced by the very best.

Ground conditions matter here too. On fast, dry ground, Great Chieftain has won 2 of 4 races — half of everything it has entered in those conditions. That is the kind of record that makes a trainer reach for the entries on a sunny week in summer.

Oliver Cole's yard at Whatcombe in Oxfordshire has sent out 8 winners this season, and this particular five-year-old has been a steady contributor. Jockey David Probert has built a solid partnership with the horse, winning 2 of their 5 races together — 40%, which is an unusually productive combination by any measure. When those two line up, the record suggests you pay attention.

The recent form tells a slightly different story. The sequence of 9-5-8-7-5-1 going back six races shows the last win came at Haydock Park in May 2025, and since then the finishes have been mid-pack at best. Great Chieftain raced just yesterday, so it is clearly being kept busy, but it has not recaptured that winning feeling in a while. The talent is obvious from the career record — the question now is whether the right conditions, the right track, and David Probert in the saddle can unlock another one.