Take The Boat

Kempton Park is where this horse has made its name. Three wins from 9 races there — 1 in every 3 — is the kind of record that makes trainers and jockeys tick boxes before entering. For context, most horses never win at a single track across an entire career. Take The Boat has won three times at one venue alone, and that first win came at Kempton on 12 February 2025, almost as if the horse immediately recognised the place suited it. The most recent victory came at Wolverhampton on 2 February 2026, showing it's no one-trick pony.

The partnership with jockey Rob Hornby is worth noting. Together they've won 3 of their 7 races — that's nearly 1 in every 2, a 43% win rate that is exceptional by any measure. That kind of chemistry between horse and rider doesn't happen by accident; when Hornby is in the saddle, something clearly clicks.

Georgina Nicholls trains the horse from her yard at Kingston Lisle in Oxfordshire, and the operation is in fine form — 11 winners sent out this season alone. Take The Boat typically competes at Class 6 level, which is the entry level of British racing, but within that sphere it's a consistent performer: 4 wins from 13 races at that level, winning nearly 1 in 3. That's a horse that belongs at that standard and knows how to win within it.

One more detail that ties everything together: Take The Boat thrives in wet or muddy ground, winning 3 of its 9 races in those conditions — 1 in every 3. Kempton's all-weather surface means ground conditions there are consistent year-round, which may partly explain the love affair with that track. The horse raced just yesterday and remains active, so with the right conditions underfoot and Hornby aboard, there's every reason to expect more wins to come.