Lunar Contact

The most striking thing about Lunar Contact is what he has done at Fakenham, a small, tight, almost circular track in Norfolk that suits a particular type of horse — one that is clever, balanced, and comfortable on a quirky course that trips up plenty of others. He has won 2 of his 3 races there. That is not a coincidence. Fakenham is where his career really began to take shape, with his first career win coming there on 30 October 2024, and he has clearly taken to the place in a way that sets him apart from most visitors.

That said, Lunar Contact's record away from his favourite track is harder to love. He has run 7 times at Class 4 level — the bread-and-butter tier of British racing — and has yet to win once. His most regular partner, jockey Tom Cannon, has ridden him five times without getting to the winner's enclosure together. His last win came at Southwell on 26 November 2024, now 17 months ago, and his recent form shows two second-place finishes sandwiched around some quieter runs. He is placing, but not winning.

Susan Corbett's yard has had a productive season, sending out 11 winners, so the operation is clearly functioning well. Lunar Contact raced just one day ago and remains active, which suggests the yard are still searching for the right opportunity. The frustrating truth is that his record points to a horse who is capable on his day — particularly at Fakenham — but one who has not yet found a way to translate that into consistent wins at the level he is asked to compete at. Whether another trip back to Norfolk is the answer is the obvious question worth asking.