Blackacre

Both of those wins have come at Newton Abbot, a tight, twisty track in Devon that suits certain horses down to the ground. Winning 2 of 7 races at a single course — nearly 1 in 3 — is the kind of record that makes a trainer keep coming back. Newton Abbot clearly brings out the best in Blackacre in a way that other tracks simply don't, and both wins came in quick succession in August last year, suggesting the horse was in the form of its life during that summer spell.

The partnership with jockey Adam Wedge has been the consistent thread running through Blackacre's career. Wedge has been in the saddle for 13 of the horse's 24 races and is responsible for both wins — a win rate of roughly 1 in every 6 rides together, which is meaningfully better than the overall career average. That kind of chemistry between horse and jockey matters, and it's clearly something trainer Mrs C Williams at her Llancarfan yard has recognised by keeping the combination together. The yard has sent out 3 winners this season, so things are ticking along.

The recent form, however, tells a more cautious tale. Blackacre hasn't won in its last 6 races, and the latest sequence — two unplaced runs sandwiching a second place — shows a horse that's knocking on the door without quite getting through it. The last win was 10 months ago now, back at Newton Abbot in August. With that course record in mind, another trip to Devon would be the logical place to look for a return to winning ways. Blackacre raced just yesterday, so whatever comes next is likely close.