Blizzard Of Oz

Across a 20-race career, Blizzard Of Oz has won 4 times and finished in the places 11 more times, giving him a win rate of roughly 1 in every 5 races. That's a solid record rather than a spectacular one, but the consistency of those place finishes suggests a horse who rarely fires completely blank. He opened his account at Cork back in March 2023, and his most recent win came at Thurles in March this year — a performance that clearly meant something, because jockey Paul Townend admitted afterwards that a sketchy jump at the second-last had him worried. The fact that the horse found extra when asked was, Townend said, a sign of genuine good form rather than something Blizzard Of Oz had always been able to call on. That detail matters: a horse learning to dig in is a horse going the right way.

Townend and Blizzard Of Oz have built a notable partnership. In five races together, they've won three — a 60% win rate that is extraordinary by any measure. Most top jockeys win roughly 1 in every 5 or 6 races they ride overall, so winning 3 from 5 with a specific horse suggests something clicks between them. Bramley's yard has been in strong form generally this season, sending out 17 winners, and the team clearly has bigger targets in mind. At a stable tour last November, Bramley mentioned the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury — one of the most prestigious races in the British jumps calendar — as a race that could suit him. That's an ambitious target, and it tells you the people around this horse believe there's more to come.

He raced just one day ago, so Blizzard Of Oz is very much a horse in the middle of his season. With four wins, a well-matched jockey, and a trainer willing to aim high, the most interesting chapters may still be ahead — particularly if the weather does its part.