The recent form makes for difficult reading. The last six races have produced nothing better than a pair of second-place finishes, followed by three runs finishing seventh or eighth. That tail-off is hard to ignore — whatever spark was there in January 2025 has proved stubbornly difficult to recapture over the 15 months since. A short break of 31 days before the next run suggests the team at least recognises something needs to change.
The company City of God usually keeps — Class 4, one step below the mid-tier of British racing — has not been kind either. Zero wins from four races at that level tells its own story: this is a horse that has yet to prove it belongs among even the moderate performers at that grade. That said, the two placed efforts show there is some ability here; it just hasn't translated into a win when the pressure is on.
Jockey Sam James has built up a decent partnership with this horse, riding it five times and landing that one victory together — a win rate of 20%, or 1 in every 5 rides. That is a better return than City of God's overall record suggests, which at least points to some compatibility between horse and rider. The yard behind it, K R Burke's operation in Coverham, North Yorkshire, has sent out 139 winners this season alone — one of the more productive stables in the north — so it is not as though City of God is lacking for professional support. The talent is in the yard. The question is whether this particular horse can find a way to use it.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolverhampton Galloping |
3 | 1 second, 2 other | 30 Jan | 0% |
| Southwell Galloping |
2 | 1 win, 1 second | 28 Feb | 50% |
| Haydock Park Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 24 May | 0% |
| chelmsford | 1 | 1 other | 26 Feb | 0% |
| Musselburgh Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 7 Jun | 0% |