Autocrat

What makes Autocrat interesting is how specific his strengths are. On normal ground, he wins roughly 1 in every 5 races (6 wins from 29 attempts), which is almost twice his overall win rate. He's also a course specialist at Dundalk, where he's won 6 of his 29 races there—a track where he clearly understands what it takes. At distances between a mile and three furlongs and a mile and four furlongs, he's won 5 of 22 races (23%), nearly one in every four starts. Put him on quick ground at the right distance and he's a different horse than his overall numbers suggest.

His recent form, though, has been patchy. He finished second just two weeks ago at Bellewstown, but before that he's had a string of disappointments—a run of 6, 8, 3, 1, and 15th top-3 finishes. That suggests he's either struggling to get into a winning rhythm or hasn't been finished in the top 3 in the right conditions lately. Nicola Burns, his most regular partner, has 2 wins from 13 races together (15%), only slightly better than his baseline, so the magic isn't coming from any particular jockey. Trainer P Sweeney's Letterkenny yard has been sending out winners this season, so there's no lack of form in the stable. Autocrat remains a straightforward horse to understand: find him soft ground at Dundalk over the right trip, and he'll likely give you a run for your money.