Crimson Spirit

The headline moment came on 28 August 2023 at Epsom Downs, where Crimson Spirit won a Class 2 race — one of the better contests you'll find outside the sport's absolute elite. Jockey Richard Kingscote, who has partnered the horse to all five of his wins from nine rides together (winning nearly 1 in every 2 times they team up, which is a remarkable pairing), described it afterwards as a ride that almost seemed to run itself: the horse found his rhythm early, threaded through a gap, and took to the famously steep, twisting Epsom hill as if he'd been built for it. That Epsom affinity is backed up by the numbers — 2 wins from 6 races there, with a course that notoriously unsettles horses that can't balance themselves through the bends and the downhill camber.

The other thing that unlocks Crimson Spirit is dry ground. On fast, dry conditions he has won 3 of just 5 races — a 60% win rate that is extraordinary at any level. Kingscote has noted that the ground at Epsom suited him far better than a muddier outing at Nottingham, which lines up exactly with what the figures show. When the sun has been out and the track is riding quick, this horse becomes a different proposition.

His most recent win came at Goodwood just seven weeks ago, and his last six results — two wins, a third, a fourth, and a couple of disappointing days — paint the picture of a horse who shows up when conditions suit and fades when they don't. Daniel Kubler described him during a stable visit earlier this season as "a lovely, big, scopey horse with lots to look forward to," adding that he's versatile enough to handle most tracks and should be winning more races. The yard has already sent out 34 winners this season, so they clearly know what they're doing with him. With dry ground in the forecast and Kingscote in the saddle, Crimson Spirit is the kind of horse a knowledgeable friend would quietly mention before you look at the card.