Best Rate

Best Rate has won twice on fast, dry ground from six attempts at those conditions — a 33% success rate that stands out sharply against its overall form. On other surfaces, it struggles to reproduce that sharpness. The horse also seems to find its stride when racing at distances between 1m1f and 1m2f, where it has won 2 of its 11 starts. That first career win came at Wolverhampton on Boxing Day 2024, and eight months later it delivered again, but the intervening races have been largely frustrating.

Trained by Richard Hannon at Herridge in Wiltshire — a yard that has sent out 118 winners this season alone — Best Rate is steered most often by Sean Levey, though their partnership has yielded just one win from six rides together. The real puzzle is why the horse rarely races above Class 4 level, where it has never won in nine attempts. Best Rate is currently active and raced just a day ago, so the team remains committed to finding the right race. The template for success is clear: fast ground, the right distance, and patience to wait for another opportunity where all the elements align.