Wicked Thoughts

The most striking thing about Wicked Thoughts is what he does at Taunton. He has raced there three times and won twice — a record that suggests the track genuinely suits him in a way that goes beyond coincidence. His most recent win came there just four weeks ago, in April 2026, and it looks like the Somerset circuit has become something of a home away from home. For a horse operating mainly at Class 4 level — one of the more competitive middle tiers — winning 2 of 3 at the same venue is a real calling card.

Ground is the other key to understanding him. His trainer Paul Nicholls has been candid that fast, dry conditions are where Wicked Thoughts excels. Nicholls has noted that he "skips off" quick ground in a way that marks him out, and pointed to a performance at Exeter on dry ground — where Wicked Thoughts gave weight to a horse from Nicky Henderson's yard and still came out on top — as evidence of genuine quality when everything aligns. He was also not quite himself in the middle of last season, which helps explain a couple of the flatter results in his record.

His regular partner is Harry Cobden, one of the leading jump jockeys in Britain, and the pair have a strong understanding. In their eight races together, they have won three times — that's 38%, or roughly 2 in every 5 outings, which is a genuinely impressive return. Nicholls' yard at Ditcheat has been firing on all cylinders this season with 92 winners sent out, so Wicked Thoughts sits within a well-resourced and confident operation.

The picture that emerges is of a horse with clear preferences — fast ground, Taunton, Cobden in the saddle — and a team that knows exactly how to place him to maximise his chances. When those ingredients come together, he tends to win. When they don't, he still places more often than not. That kind of reliability has a value all its own.