Hiconic

The level at which Hiconic has done its best work is Class 4, the fourth tier of British racing — competitive without being elite. There, the record sharpens considerably: 3 wins from 15 races, which works out to 1 in every 5, and that's the kind of return that makes a trainer keep entering a horse at that level. Alex Hales, who trains out of Edgcote in Oxfordshire, clearly knows where Hiconic belongs and how to place it well. His yard has sent out 12 winners already this season, so this is an operation that knows what it's doing.

Jockey Kielan Woods has become the regular partner, riding in 12 of Hiconic's races and winning 2 of them — a win rate of roughly 1 in 6 together, which is meaningfully better than the horse's overall average. That sort of partnership tends to develop for a reason: familiarity and trust between horse and rider can make a genuine difference. Hales has spoken about the schooling work he's put into Hiconic over the years, and the horse's willingness to jump from the front — leading on its own and doing it well — suggests that groundwork has paid off.

The honest challenge right now is that Hiconic hasn't won since Uttoxeter in July 2024, nearly 22 months ago. Recent form reads 4th, 2nd, 7th, 4th, and 3rd across the last six runs — consistent enough to suggest the horse isn't declining sharply, but not quite finding that extra gear to win. A second place in those recent outings keeps hope alive. The horse raced just one day ago and remains active, which says everything about its durability at nine years old. Whether another win is coming is an open question, but Hiconic is clearly still competing honestly — and for a nine-year-old still turning up and placing regularly, that in itself is worth something.