Dogged

The overall record — 4 wins from 46 races, roughly 1 in every 11 — is modest, and the recent form makes for difficult reading. A run of 6th, 2nd, 9th, 9th, 12th, and 8th in the last six races tells the story of a horse that flashed into second place not long ago but has otherwise struggled to land a blow. The last win came at Ripon in August 2023, nearly three years back now, which is a long time between celebrations.

But Ripon is where this profile gets interesting. Dogged has won 2 of just 4 races at that track — a win rate of 50%, which is extraordinary by any measure. Most horses go through entire careers without finding a venue that suits them so perfectly. Whether it is the shape of the course, the ground, or something harder to explain, Ripon seems to unlock a better version of this horse entirely. The first career win came there in April 2023, and the most recent victory followed at the same track four months later. If Dogged is ever going to end the current drought, the obvious starting point is a trip back to North Yorkshire.

The horse typically competes at Class 5 level — the lower end of the racing ladder — and has yet to win a race at that grade from 19 attempts, which is a strange quirk given the overall win tally. Those victories have come elsewhere in the programme. It is the sort of detail that suggests Dogged finds a way when the framing suits, rather than grinding out results through sheer consistency.

Tony Carroll, based at Cropthorne in Worcestershire, trains the horse and has had a productive season with 136 winners sent out from the yard. Regular partner Mr Philip Thomas has ridden Dogged to 1 win from 6 races together — a win rate of roughly 1 in 6, or 17% — which is a reasonable return. Dogged raced just yesterday, so this is very much an active campaign, and for a horse of its age and experience, that in itself says something.