Has Troke

He arrived in Britain having already won in France for trainer Alain Couetil, which gave Alex Hales something to work with from the start. Hales, based at Edgcote in Oxfordshire, took time to let the horse settle in his new surroundings, and those early quiet runs were deliberate rather than discouraging. His yard has sent out 12 winners this season, which tells you this is a stable that knows how to place a horse and get results. Has Troke's first win in British colours came at Fontwell Park in February 2022, and his most recent at Lingfield Park in February 2025 — so he has been winning, just not often. Three wins from 27 races works out at roughly 1 in every 9, and a win rate of 11% is modest but not embarrassing for a horse operating at this level.

The ground matters with this one. On wet or muddy ground, he has won 2 of his 12 races — that is a 17% win rate, which is noticeably better than his overall record and worth keeping in mind as the seasons change. At his most common level of competition, he has managed just 1 win from 14 races (7%), which suggests he is competitive rather than dominant in that bracket, and that finding the right race on the right day is the key to getting the best out of him.

Jockey Kielan Woods knows him better than anyone, having ridden him in 11 of his 27 races for 2 wins — a partnership that wins roughly 1 in every 5 times they go out together, well above the horse's overall average. That is a meaningful number and suggests the pair have a good understanding. Has Troke had a short break after his last run 65 days ago, and with recent form showing a fifth and a third before that last win, he is not far off producing another decent effort when conditions fall right.