Bajan Bandit

The numbers get more interesting when you look at where and how Bajan Bandit wins. On fast, dry ground, it wins at a rate of 22% — 2 wins from 9 races — which is nearly double its overall average. That is not a coincidence; it is a horse that genuinely comes alive when the ground is in its favour. Similarly, at distances between seven furlongs and a mile, it has won 5 of 26 races, again at that same 22% clip. Those are conditions worth watching for. When the ground is quick and the trip is right, this horse is a legitimate contender rather than a make-weight.

Patrick Morris trains the yard out of Prescott in Merseyside, and with 18 winners already this season, the operation is clearly in good form. Sam James rides Bajan Bandit most often — nine times together — though their partnership has produced just 1 win from those 9 races, an 11% return that mirrors the horse's broader average without setting the world alight. The last victory came at Newcastle on 2 December 2025, seven months ago now, and the most recent six runs have read 6-6-6-8-5-2 in reverse — a horse that has been placed once but otherwise struggling to find the front. It raced just yesterday, which tells you the team keep faith in it and keep it active.

First winning at Salisbury back in June 2022, Bajan Bandit has been a dependable if unspectacular presence ever since. It is not a horse chasing glory at the top level. It is the kind of horse that makes handicap racing worth following — built for the long game, still showing up, and capable of winning when everything clicks.