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Virtual Hug

Eight years old and still finding the winner's enclosure — Virtual Hug is the kind of horse that rewards patience. With 6 wins and 16 places from 55 races, this is a horse that has spent a long career competing at Class 6 level, the entry point of British racing, and has quietly built a record that tells a story of consistency rather than brilliance. Winning roughly 1 in every 9 races overall, and 4 of 32 at Class 6 specifically, Virtual Hug is not a headline act — but horses like this are the backbone of the sport.Based on TrackLab's AI analysis
Quick Facts
Age
8 years old
Sex
Gelding
Colour
Bay
Father
Buratino
Mother
Cotton Camera
Owner
Mike Harris Racing & Nikki Evans Racing
Rating
54

📊 Key Numbers

Career statistics for this horse
55
Career races
6
Wins
10.9%
Win rate
avg ~10%
29.1%
Place rate (top 3)
avg ~30%
1 days
Since last race

🔍 Full Analysis

TrackLab's AI-generated assessment based on career data and recent form
TrackLab's Detailed Breakdown
Auto-Generated

What makes the current moment interesting is the recent form. Two wins from the last 6 races is a genuinely strong return, and the sequence — a win, then a couple of disappointing runs, then a place, then another win — has the look of a horse that goes well when conditions suit and switches off when they don't. That latest win came at Bath just last week, which means this horse arrives at whatever comes next in form and full of confidence. A win at 8 is no small thing; plenty of horses this age are winding down.

Virtual Hug's career began with a first win at Gowran Park in Ireland back in October 2021, which means the horse has been around long enough to know the routine. Trainer Nikki Evans, based at Pandy in Monmouthshire, has sent out 2 winners this season — a modest but respectable return for a smaller yard — and this horse accounts for one of them. Regular jockey Joshua Bryan has won 1 from 7 rides together, roughly 1 in 7, which is a workmanlike partnership rather than a special one, but clearly functional enough.

There is nothing flashy about Virtual Hug's career — no big-race days, no dramatic upsets. The total prize money and level of competition tell you this is a horse operating in the day-to-day reality of the sport, turning up at tracks like Bath and doing an honest job. But racing at 55 times, still winning at 8, and doing it as recently as last week? That is a career worth respecting.

Strengths & Risks

What the data says works for and against this horse
✓ What works in their favour
Excellent record on good_to_yielding ground: 1 wins from 3 starts (33%)
Course specialist at Wolverhampton: 4 wins from 30 starts (13%)
⚠ What to watch out for
Poor record on good_to_firm ground: 0 wins from 3 starts

🎯 Where This Horse Thrives

Performance broken down by ground, distance, class, and track type
🌧 Ground Conditions
Good to yielding (mild give)
Loves
Standard (all-weather)
Good (firm-ish)
Ok
Firm (dry)
Unknown
Yielding (slightly soft)
Unknown
Soft (muddy)
Unknown
Standard to slow (all-weather)
Unknown
Good to firm (drying out)
Avoids
📏 Race Distance
1M3F – 1M4F
Long Distance (2M+)
1M1F – 1M2F
Unknown
1M6F – 2M
Ok
🏅 Competition Level
Class 4 (standard)
Unknown
Class 5 (entry-level)
Avoids
Class 6 (grassroots)
🏟 Track Shape
Left-handed, hilly
Loves
Left-handed, long straights
Right-handed, tight turns
Unknown
Right-handed, hilly
Unknown
Right-handed, tight
Unknown
Left-handed, tight turns
Avoids
Right-handed, long straights
Avoids
Long straights
Avoids

📅 Recent Runs

The last 10 races, most recent first
13 May
3rd
Bath
1m3f – 1m4f · Firm · 6 runners
4 May
🏆 Won
Bath
1m3f – 1m4f · Good · 9 runners
10 Apr
4th
Wolverhampton
1m6f – 2m · Standard · 12 runners
10 Mar
6th
Wolverhampton
1m6f – 2m · Standard · 8 runners
10 Mar
6th
Wolverhampton
1m6f – 2m · Standard · 8 runners
2 Mar
🏆 Won
Wolverhampton
1m6f – 2m · Standard
16 Jan
5th
Wolverhampton
1m6f – 2m · Standard · 9 runners
27 Dec
4th
Wolverhampton
1m6f – 2m · Standard · 11 runners
3 Nov
5th
hereford
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 9 runners
18 Oct
5th
Stratford-on-Avon
Long Distance (2m+) · Good · 11 runners

🏇 Jockey Partnerships

Every jockey who has ridden this horse, sorted by rides together
14.3%
Win rate
1/7
Won / Rode
Charlie O'Dwyer
0%
Win rate
0/6
Won / Rode
20%
Win rate
1/5
Won / Rode
33.3%
Win rate
1/3
Won / Rode
0%
Win rate
0/3
Won / Rode
0%
Win rate
0/3
Won / Rode
50%
Win rate
1/2
Won / Rode
50%
Win rate
1/2
Won / Rode
Elizabeth Gale
0%
Win rate
0/2
Won / Rode
Hollie Doyle Current Jockey
0%
Win rate
0/2
Won / Rode
0%
Win rate
0/2
Won / Rode
0%
Win rate
0/2
Won / Rode
0%
Win rate
0/2
Won / Rode
0%
Win rate
0/2
Won / Rode
0%
Win rate
0/1
Won / Rode
0%
Win rate
0/1
Won / Rode
0%
Win rate
0/1
Won / Rode
0%
Win rate
0/1
Won / Rode
0%
Win rate
0/1
Won / Rode
0%
Win rate
0/1
Won / Rode

🏟 Track Record

Win rate at each course this horse has visited
CourseRacesResultsLast visitedWin rate
Wolverhampton
Galloping
30 4 wins, 3 seconds, 2 thirds, 21 other 10 Apr 13.3%
Bath
Undulating
6 1 win, 2 seconds, 2 thirds, 1 other 13 May 16.7%
Gowran Park
Undulating
2 1 win, 1 other 23 Jul 50%
Down Royal
Galloping
2 1 second, 1 other 28 Jul 0%
Dundalk
Galloping
2 2 other 4 Jan 0%
hereford 2 2 other 3 Nov 0%
Listowel
Sharp
2 2 other 19 Sep 0%
Stratford-on-Avon
Sharp
1 1 other 18 Oct 0%
Ballinrobe
Sharp
1 1 other 8 Aug 0%
Kilbeggan
Tight
1 1 other 20 Apr 0%
Navan
Galloping
1 1 other 31 Aug 0%
Sligo
Sharp
1 1 other 9 Aug 0%
Fairyhouse
Galloping
1 1 other 9 Jun 0%
chelmsford 1 1 other 27 Feb 0%
Haydock Park
Galloping
1 1 other 7 Jun 0%
Bellewstown
Sharp
1 1 other 8 Jul 0%