Ghost Story

Trained by John Butler at Newmarket, one of British racing's most famous bases, Ghost Story operates mainly at Class 5 level — the bread-and-butter tier of everyday racing, where competition is solid but not elite. At that level, it has won just 1 from 6 races, or roughly 1 in every 6 attempts, which suggests a horse that belongs in the mix without necessarily dominating it. Butler's yard has been in fine form this season, sending out 39 winners, so Ghost Story is part of a genuinely productive operation.

The partnership with jockey David Egan stands out as the most interesting thread in this story. When Egan is in the saddle, Ghost Story transforms: two wins from five races together works out at 40%, or roughly 2 in every 5, which is a remarkable number at any level of racing. Compare that to the overall career win rate of 17% — about 1 in every 6 — and it becomes clear that something clicks between this horse and that rider. The first career win came at Nottingham in July 2024, and the most recent at Windsor in July 2025, both in the warmer months, which is worth noting.

What the recent form shows is a horse deep in a productive spell without quite finding the winning thread again. The last six runs read 4-3-3-3-2-1, working backwards from the most recent — so Ghost Story has been placing consistently, creeping closer, but that last win came a year ago now. Raced just yesterday and clearly in good health, the question is whether the next run, potentially with Egan aboard, is the one where everything falls into place again.