The overall numbers are striking. From just seven races, Simplify has won three and placed six times — meaning the horse has finished first or second or third in every single race it has run. That works out to a win rate of around 43%, or roughly 3 wins from every 7 races, which would be exceptional for any racehorse. Most horses are doing well to win one race in five. Add in that three of the last six runs have ended in victories, with the most recent coming at Thirsk just four weeks ago, and this is clearly a horse in form right now.
Ground conditions appear to matter. On normal ground, Simplify has won twice from three races — a two-in-three record that suggests the horse is at its best when conditions are neither too wet nor too firm. That is useful to know, because it means the yard will be watching the weather carefully before committing to a run.
Behind all of this is Andrew Balding, one of British racing's most productive trainers. Based at Kingsclere in Hampshire, his yard has sent out 202 winners already this season — a number that reflects a serious, well-organised operation rather than a small string getting lucky. Horses from Kingsclere tend to arrive at the track fit and ready, which may explain why Simplify has never run a bad race. At three years old, with a Class 2 win already on the record and a horse that seems to improve with the occasion, there is every reason to think the best is still to come.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thirsk Galloping |
2 | 2 wins | 18 Apr | 100% |
| Newbury Galloping |
2 | 1 second, 1 other | 10 Jul | 0% |
| Wolverhampton Galloping |
1 | 1 win | 31 Mar | 100% |
| Bath Undulating |
1 | 1 second | 1 Aug | 0% |
| York Galloping |
1 | 1 second | 14 May | 0% |