Brother Dave

Ruth Carr trains Brother Dave from her yard at Stillington in North Yorkshire, and she speaks about him with obvious affection. He calls him Dave at home, describes him as "a bit of a playboy", and notes he is a brother to Bobby Joe Leg. His two wins in March 2024 both came over seven furlongs at Southwell, which tells you exactly the conditions he thrives in. Then came a setback — a foot problem that kept him off the track from May 2024, a frustrating interruption just as he seemed to be finding his stride. Carr has been careful with him since, and the old saying she quoted — "no foot, no horse" — sums up why patience was the only sensible option.

James Sullivan is the jockey who knows him best, and the numbers back that up: Sullivan has ridden Brother Dave in 18 of his 32 races and accounts for all three of his wins, a win rate of 17% together — roughly 1 in every 6 rides. That is nearly double Brother Dave's overall win rate, which suggests the partnership genuinely matters. His most recent win came at Southwell on 22 January 2026, around three months ago, and he has not troubled the winner's enclosure in his last six races since. His recent form reads 9-6-3-3-4-2 — consistent placing without converting, the story of many a honest, limited horse finding its level.

Carr's yard has been in strong form this season, sending out 63 winners, so the support structure is there. Whether Brother Dave can rediscover his Southwell spark is the question. He raced just yesterday, which tells you he is fit and active. Get him back to that track, over seven furlongs, with Sullivan in the saddle, and the ingredients for another win are all present.