Dark Moon Rising

Across 40 career races, Dark Moon Rising has won 4 times and finished in the places a further 14 times — a win rate of roughly 1 in every 10 races, which is modest, but the quality of those wins tells a more interesting story than the raw numbers. Winning a Class 2 race at Chelmsford in March 2022 and then doing it again at Southwell in November 2024 shows a horse that, on its day, can compete at a serious level. That two-and-a-half-year gap between top-level wins is a reminder that this isn't a horse firing every week — but when it clicks, it clicks somewhere that matters.

The partnership with jockey Tom Eaves is a well-worn one, with the pair having raced together 12 times. Just 1 win from those 12 outings — roughly 1 in 12 — isn't a headline-grabbing record, but loyalty counts for something, and clearly Kevin Ryan's yard at Hambleton in North Yorkshire rates the combination. Ryan himself is having a productive season, sending out 45 winners, which tells you this is a well-run operation. A small piece of it comes with a horse that has earned its place in decent company.

Dark Moon Rising is at its best over a mile and a bit — around 1m1f to 1m2f — winning 1 from 3 at those distances, a rate of 33%, which is comfortably its strongest part of the record. On normal ground conditions it has won 2 from around 10 to 11 races, a win rate of roughly 1 in 5, which is notably better than its overall average. Recent form shows a second place, a fourth, and a couple of other efforts mixed in, so the sharpness is still there even if that last win came 17 months ago. For a horse racing at this level, still placing in Class 2 company at seven years old, Dark Moon Rising is punching its weight.