Great Pepper

The career record reads 2 wins and 4 places from 11 races — a win rate of roughly 1 in every 5 or 6 outings, which is decent rather than dazzling. Both wins came in quick succession in late 2023: first at Hexham in November, then at Kelso just before New Year. Moffatt noted that Great Pepper ran a touch green at Hexham — a little inexperienced and unsure of himself — before knuckling down to win more convincingly at Kelso. That second win, now 28 months ago, remains his most recent, and since then he has not managed to get back to the winner's enclosure across six attempts.

What stands out about this horse is the way Moffatt describes him: a brilliant jumper, tough, and capable of staying three miles all day. Those are qualities that matter enormously in jump racing, where horses that jump cleanly and keep finding more late in a race are worth their weight in gold. The concern is that when stepped up to Class 3 — one level below the top tier — Great Pepper has drawn a blank in all four attempts, winning none of them. That gap between what he looks like at home and what he's delivering on the track is the puzzle the team is still trying to solve.

Charlotte Jones has been the regular jockey, partnering him in 10 of his 11 races and riding both of his wins — 2 wins from 10 together works out at 1 in every 5, which is a solid partnership. Great Pepper raced just one day ago and is clearly being kept busy. Moffatt has said he believes the horse is peaking right now, which is an intriguing thing to say about a horse whose last win came over two years ago. Whether that confidence is about to be rewarded is the question worth watching.