Inca De Lafayette

Trained by Paul Nicholls at Ditcheat in Somerset, Inca De Lafayette is part of one of British racing's most productive yards. Nicholls has sent out 92 winners already this season, which is the kind of output that speaks for itself — these horses are well-prepared, well-placed, and the team knows what it is doing. That context matters, because Inca De Lafayette is not a horse built for the biggest occasions. He competes mainly at Class 3 level, one rung below the elite, and his record there is modest on paper — 1 win from 8 races, or about 1 in 8. But that tells only part of the story, because when the conditions suit him and the right track comes up, he is a different animal entirely.

Taunton is that track. He has won 2 of his 5 races there, giving him a win rate of 40% at the venue — more than three times his overall average. It is the kind of course affinity that builds up slowly and then becomes undeniable. His first career win came at Taunton in February 2022, and the track has clearly stayed good to him. Worth noting too is what Nicholls revealed a couple of seasons back: after a frustrating winter when the horse could not build on a promising start, a breathing issue was identified and sorted. He came back and won by 13 lengths. That is not a narrow, scrappy win — that is a horse in full flow.

His most recent victory came at Plumpton just six weeks ago, keeping him current and competitive. Harry Cobden, one of the best jockeys in the country, has ridden him seven times and won on 3 of those occasions — a win rate of 43%, which is exceptional by any measure. When Cobden is in the saddle, something clicks. His recent form reads second, first, second over the last three completed runs, which is the kind of consistency that shows a horse in form and back doing what it does best.