Pilgrim

The career highlights tell a clear story of gradual progression. Pilgrim got off the mark at York in October 2023, one of British racing's grandest tracks, before stepping up to win a Class 2 race at Ascot in June 2024 — that is one of the top races in Britain, the kind of afternoon where the owners actually bother to dress up. Most recently it won at Musselburgh in April 2026, so this is a horse very much still operating at the top of its game. Competing at Class 2 level consistently is genuinely tough — Pilgrim has won just 1 from 9 at that grade — but the fact that it keeps turning up and placing in the top three tells you it belongs there.

One detail worth flagging for anyone paying close attention: Pilgrim loves a wet day. On soft or muddy ground it has won 2 from 3 races, a 67% win rate that is extraordinary by any standard. Most horses are notably better or worse on a particular surface, but those numbers — two wins from three chances in the wet — suggest this horse transforms when the weather turns.

The partnership with jockey Joe Fanning is also a thread worth following. Together they have won 3 from 10 races, which works out at 30% — that is winning nearly 1 in every 3 times they team up, which is a genuinely exceptional record for a jockey and horse combination at this level. It is the kind of statistic that suggests the horse simply goes better with a familiar partner.

Recent form reads 4-1-8-9-9-2 — a win, a near-miss, and then a couple of scrappy runs before bouncing back. The Barron yard has sent out 15 winners this season and Pilgrim, having raced just yesterday, looks like a horse still in the thick of things. Keep it in mind the moment the forecast turns grey.