Spartan Times

The Candlish yard is clearly in excellent form right now, having sent out 61 winners this season alone, and Spartan Times has been doing its share of the heavy lifting. The horse won at Uttoxeter just two weeks ago and raced again yesterday, which tells you something about how well it is thriving at the moment. A horse that races that frequently and keeps winning is not just fit — it is enjoying itself.

What makes Spartan Times particularly interesting is how specific its strengths are. Over a distance of around a mile and three or four furlongs, it wins 4 times from every 7 races — that is a 57% win rate, which is extraordinary at any level. Most racehorses win fewer than 1 in 5 races across their careers, so finding a trip that suits this well is a genuine weapon. On top of that, it handles both normal and slightly softer, damper ground equally — three wins from six on each — meaning rain does not dull its chances the way it can for other horses.

The partnership with jockey George Wood also looks worth following. Together they have won 2 of their 6 races, a win rate of around 1 in 3, which is a strong return and suggests the pair have developed a good understanding. Spartan Times tends to line up in Class 6 races — the entry-level tier of British racing — where it wins 3 from every 10, which is a solid record at that grade.

This is not a horse troubling the top races in Britain, but that is almost beside the point. Spartan Times is a horse in form, with a jockey who knows it well, trained by a yard firing on all cylinders, and racing over exactly the trip and ground that suits it best. Keep an eye on it whenever those boxes are ticked.