Holbache

The most striking number in Holbache's record is what happens when conditions suit him. On dry, fast ground he has won 2 of just 5 races — a 40% win rate that is extraordinary at any level. Equally, on soft or muddy ground, he has won another 2 from 5 at the same rate. Most horses have a preference one way or the other; Holbache appears to handle either extreme well, which gives trainer Julie Camacho far more options when placing him. Camacho's yard at Norton in North Yorkshire has sent out 46 winners already this season, and Holbache is one of the horses keeping that tally ticking along. He also has a course record at Kempton Park worth noting — 2 wins from just 3 visits — which is the kind of ratio that would make any trainer check the Kempton fixture list first.

His partnership with jockey Tom Kiely-Marshall tells its own story: 4 wins together from 13 races is a win rate of 31%, better than 1 in every 3. That is a genuinely productive combination, well above Holbache's overall average, and suggests the two have developed a real understanding. After a tough run at Haydock, Kiely-Marshall noted that Holbache is "pretty tough" and flagged that a gelding operation could be the making of him — a sign the team believes there is still more to come.

Holbache won at Catterick Bridge just three weeks ago and, if Camacho's comments after that run are anything to go by, there is a plan forming. She highlighted that he has thrived on the step up to six furlongs, enjoyed the ground, and is specifically being aimed at a race at Newmarket on August 1st — the last opportunity before a weight rise kicks in and makes things harder. The phrase "we'll have to see if we can exploit that" suggests a trainer who knows her horse, knows the calendar, and is quietly lining up another win. With form reading 5-1-7-3-10-1 across his last six races, Holbache's most recent results are by far his best — and at 8 years old, that is a pleasant surprise.