Dashing Donkey

What makes Dashing Donkey genuinely interesting is its record at Great Yarmouth. Two wins from 7 races there — including its first career victory on 12 June 2024 — suggests the flat, left-handed Norfolk track genuinely suits it. Winning at the same track more than once is not a coincidence; it usually points to something specific about the shape of the course, the ground, or simply the atmosphere agreeing with a horse. And speaking of ground, when the turf is slightly soft — wet but not heavy — Dashing Donkey steps up noticeably, winning 2 from 5 races in those conditions, a 40% win rate that stands out sharply against its overall record of roughly 1 win in every 5 and a half races.

The distance picture is similarly clear. At a mile and a furlong to a mile and two furlongs, it has won 3 of 10 races — 30%, or almost 1 in 3 — which is where it is plainly most comfortable. Stretch it shorter or longer and the results thin out considerably.

The current puzzle, though, is a six-race winless run. Its last victory came at Newmarket on 1 August 2025, ten months ago now, and recent form figures of 4-12-5-10-4-5 show a horse that is running well enough to place occasionally but not quite finding that extra gear. Regular partner Kieran Shoemark has yet to get a winner out of it in five rides together. Trainer William Stone's yard at West Wickham has sent out 10 winners this season, so the stable is in decent form — the ingredients are there. Dashing Donkey raced just yesterday, so it is very much in active training. A soft-ground day at Great Yarmouth over a mile and change might be exactly what unlocks it again.