Hatos

Trainer Joe Tizzard, whose yard in Milborne Port, Dorset, has sent out 58 winners this season, has always understood what makes this horse tick. After Hatos opened his account at Chepstow back in January 2022, Tizzard noted how well he travelled on the heavy ground and how he ground out the win when things got hard — the hallmark of a horse who thrives rather than merely copes in those conditions. "The heavier the better," as Tizzard put it. The plan from early on was to develop him into a two-mile chaser who could exploit that preference, and Hatos has followed that path, picking up wins at Class 4 level — solid, competitive everyday racing — at a rate of roughly 1 in every 6 races at that level.

The overall career record of 3 wins from 28 races, with 11 places alongside them, paints the picture of a horse who is competitive more often than the win tally suggests. He has finished second or third in 11 races, which means he has been in contention and come up just short on plenty of occasions. The last win came at Wincanton in February 2024, now 27 months ago, and he has not converted in the six races since. His most recent outings show him placing third twice and second once — still in the mix, still running honestly, but not quite getting over the line.

Brendan Powell has partnered him eight times without a win, though the relationship clearly keeps going, which suggests the team sees consistency there if not yet the breakthrough result. Hatos raced just yesterday, which means he is fit, active and being kept busy. With his preferred distances of a mile and six furlongs to two miles, his fondness for truly testing ground, and a trainer who clearly has faith in him, the next heavy-ground day at the right track could easily change the conversation.