Vicki Vale

Those two wins tell a tidy little story. The first came at Hereford in November 2022, and the second at Taunton the following April. Both arrived on wet, soft ground — and that's no coincidence. On that kind of surface, Vicki Vale has won 2 from 5 races, a 40% win rate that is genuinely remarkable. For context, that means she's nearly as likely to win as she is to lose when conditions are in her favour. Put her on fast, dry ground and the picture changes entirely. She's at her best when there's cut in the surface, and anyone following her should keep one eye on the weather forecast.

She typically competes at Class 4, which sits in the middle of the British racing ladder — not elite, but not the lowest rung either. At that level she has won 2 from 8 races, a 25% win rate, which is a solid record and suggests she's competitive when the races suit her. Harry Skelton, one of the leading jump jockeys in the country, has ridden her seven times and won once together, around 1 in every 7 — decent enough, though the partnership hasn't quite clicked as consistently as you might hope.

The catch is that her last win was at Taunton in April 2023 — three years ago now. In her last six races she has finished fourth twice, fifth once, and sixth once, with two non-completions mixed in. That is a horse that is running respectably but not threatening to win. At nine years old and with the winning habit fading, the question is whether the right combination of soft ground and a suitable race can bring one more moment in the spotlight. Trained by Deborah Cole at her Warwickshire yard, which has sent out four winners already this season, the team clearly believes there's still something to aim at. Racing just yesterday, Vicki Vale is still very much in the game.