Fighting Poet

The horse performs best on fast, dry ground — it has won 2 of its 9 races on such conditions, a 22% win rate — and seems to suit races at around 1m1f to 1m2f, where it has achieved the same 2-win return. These are the conditions to watch for if Fighting Poet is headed back to Brighton. Its trainer Richard Phillips, based at Adlestrop in Gloucestershire, has had a modest season with just three winners across the whole yard, so each victory carries weight within the operation. Jockey Robert Havlin has partnered the horse five times without success, which may be worth noting if the partnership continues.

The horse has not found the winner's circle in its last six races, but that recent form — including a third-place finish and two other minor placings — suggests Fighting Poet is still competitive enough to threaten at the right track, under the right conditions. At eight years old it is far from finished, and with a clear preference for Brighton's layout and dry ground, there is every reason to think it could add another Brighton victory to its tally before long.