Indemnity

What makes Indemnity particularly interesting is how effective he is when the ground is normal. On standard conditions he has won 5 of his 9 races — that is a 56% win rate, more than half the time — which is a remarkable hit rate for any racehorse. Ground really does matter to some horses in a way that casual observers might not expect, and Indemnity is a perfect example of one who is almost transformed when the conditions suit him. His preferred trip of a mile and six furlongs to two miles also brings out the best in him, with 2 wins from 4 races at those distances.

His recent form tells a good story too. Of his last six races the results read, most recent first: a win, a second, a third, a fourth, a first, and a tenth. Two wins from his last six outings, including a victory at Plumpton just five weeks ago. That tenth-place finish is the only real blemish, and Emma Lavelle has previously noted that he can get a bit keen in big-field or stiff-track races — she specifically flagged that a sharper circuit like Aintree or Kempton might suit him better because he has real pace.

That pace is something jockeys have noticed too. When James Doyle rode him at Nottingham for his first career win in June 2024, he spoke about holding Indemnity together longer after pressing the button too soon at a previous race. It paints the picture of a horse who needs to be ridden with patience, then unleashed late. Gavin Sheehan, after a different run, made the same observation — that his flat-track speed was a genuine weapon. Harry Cobden is the jockey most associated with him now, winning 2 of their 5 races together, a 40% win rate that puts that partnership firmly in productive territory.