Bell Shot

The seven-year-old has built a solid career across 49 races, winning 9 of them — that works out to roughly 1 in every 5 or 6 races — and finishing in the places 22 more times. That kind of consistency across nearly 50 races is not nothing. It tells you this is a tough, reliable horse competing week in, week out at Class 4 level, which is the bread-and-butter tier of British racing, a step below the prestige events but where most horses spend most of their lives. At that level, Bell Shot has won 4 from 21 races, which is about right.

The ground matters here too. On slightly soft, wet conditions, Bell Shot has won 2 of just 3 races — a 67% record that absolutely jumps off the page. Two wins from three races on a specific type of ground is as close to a pattern as you get in this sport. Michael Appleby's yard in Oakham, Rutland, has been in excellent form, sending out 71 winners this season, so Bell Shot is part of a genuinely productive operation.

The most recent win came on New Year's Day 2026 at Southwell, seven months ago, and the last six races have produced no wins — a third place or two, but also some quiet efforts further down the field. Regular jockey Alistair Rawlinson has partnered the horse 12 times for just 1 win together, which means the partnership has not yet clicked in the way you might hope. Bell Shot raced just yesterday, so the team clearly have no intention of giving it a rest. Whether the Beverley magic, or another patch of wet ground, can spark a return to winning ways is the open question right now.