Irish Chorus

Across her whole career of 17 races, Irish Chorus has won 4 times and placed on 9 other occasions, giving her a win rate of roughly 1 in every 4 races — solid without being spectacular. But statistics across a whole career can be misleading, and in this case they hide the real story. She is a horse who has taken time to find herself, and it is only recently that she has started to put it all together. King himself said after her last win at Newton Abbot that she has plenty of ability but that she can still be a nerve-shredding watch, particularly over her jumps. "We're getting there slowly," he admitted, "but there's still room for improvement." That is both a gentle warning and, if you read between the lines, a rather exciting one — there may well be more to come.

Her partnership with jockey Tom Bellamy is worth paying attention to. Together they have won 4 of 7 races, which works out to wins in 57% of their races as a pair — a remarkable number that tells you the horse responds particularly well to his hands. Bellamy noted after Newton Abbot that faster, drier ground suits her better, which is a useful detail for anyone wanting to follow her future runs.

Warwick is a track that appears to suit her especially well. She has won 2 of her 4 races there, which suggests the course and distance play to her strengths. Most of her racing has been at Class 4 level — a solid middle tier — where she has won 2 from 9, but her current form suggests she may have more to offer if the yard decide to step her up in class. Alan King's yard has been in fine shape this season, sending out 58 winners, so Irish Chorus is operating in a well-run, confident stable. She raced just yesterday and is very much an active, in-form horse to watch.