Politacus

Fergal O'Brien's operation in Withington, Gloucestershire, has been in fine form this season, sending out 90 winners, and Politacus has been part of that setup throughout its career. The partnership with jockey Liam Harrison is particularly worth noting — together they have won 3 from 11 races, a win rate of 27%, which is meaningfully better than the horse's overall average. That is not a coincidence; it is the kind of combination where horse and rider clearly understand each other.

Politacus first announced itself with a win at Ascot in February 2023, which is a proper track to open your account at — one of the most recognisable venues in British racing. The most recent victory came at Hereford in April 2024, now 25 months ago, which is a long gap. Recent form shows a sixth, two seconds, two more seconds, and a non-completion before that — so the placings have been coming, just not the wins. Seconds and thirds pay something, but they are not what anyone is training a horse for.

The conditions that suit Politacus are fairly specific: wet or muddy ground brings out the best, with 2 wins from 7 races on that surface (29%), and longer trips of a mile and six furlongs to two miles produce the strongest results — 1 win from 3 races at those distances, a rate of 33%. When the rain comes and the trip is right, this is a horse that becomes genuinely competitive. At Class 3 level — a solid mid-tier contest — it has won 1 from 4, which suggests it is roughly where it belongs in the pecking order. The puzzle for the team is finding the right race at the right moment. Given yesterday's run, it seems they are still actively looking.