Empirestateofmind

The real story is Ayr, where Empirestateofmind has become a course specialist of note. He has won 3 of his 5 races there, including a victory just three weeks ago on 29 September. That kind of record at a single track suggests the place suits him—the track, the distances offered, something about the setup clicks. His most recent run, a Class 2 victory at York on 11 October 2024, came after a frustrating spell sidelined by injury. The joint-trainer noted that Empirestateofmind had injured a hock just as they were preparing him for bigger targets, and he came back needing racing to shake off the ring rust. He delivered that day, proving that beneath the moderate win rate lies a horse capable of winning decent races when the conditions and circumstances align.

Recent form tells the fuller story: 2 wins from his last 6 races, with top-3 finishes in 4 of those 6. That is the form of a horse in a purple patch, not one on the slide. Jockey Jason Hart, who rides him regularly, has partnered him to 4 wins from 27 races together (15%), suggesting good understanding between rider and horse. At eight years old, with a fresh low racing mark after his injury break, Empirestateofmind looks well positioned to do what the Quinn yard has always believed of him—win a nice handicap when the mud comes and the ground favours him. He raced just a day ago and remains active, a horse still capable of mixing it at the right level.