Badri

The most obvious is his love affair with Pontefract. He has won three of five races there—a sixty percent win rate at a single track that goes far beyond chance. He last won there six weeks ago, which speaks to recent form that has kept him competitive: three wins from his last six races, including a second just a week ago at Newcastle where he came from off the pace to finish creditably in a five-furlong sprint. Those recent performances show a horse who is neither washed up nor struggling but actively hunting for victories in races suited to his profile.

Ground conditions matter hugely to Badri. On fast, dry ground he wins roughly one in every three races (4 wins from 11), a figure that almost doubles his overall win rate and suggests a preference that could shape future planning. His trainer has clearly learned what works: Badri thrives in sprint handicaps—short, sharp races where his turn of foot counts. He has won at two of the sport's flagship tracks: Epsom in June 2023 and Ascot in October the same year, both Class 2 victories that underline he belongs among decent company, even if his record at that level is modest (2 wins from 29 attempts at Class 2). What the trainer's recent comments reveal is that Badri was once thought of purely as an all-weather horse until a surprise victory on turf at Epsom forced a rethink. Now in his second season with Herrington, having arrived from Ruth Carr's yard where he won four times this year, Badri appears to be thriving—the yard has sent out thirty-three winners this season, and Badri is part of that momentum.