The highlight so far came just this week at Fontwell Park, where Hardly Surprising landed its first career win on 8 April 2026. It is a significant moment for any horse — that first win is the one that confirms there is genuine ability here, not just promise. At five years old, there is plenty of time to build on it.
The one area worth watching is the class level. Hardly Surprising has run three times in Class 4 races — solid, competitive mid-tier races — without winning any of them, going 0 from 3 at that level. The Fontwell win came elsewhere, which suggests the horse may be finding its feet in that company and that a step back in class could unlock more. Trainer Harry Fry, based in Corscombe in Dorset, has sent out 25 winners already this season, so this is a yard operating in confident form and clearly knowing where to place its horses to best effect. When a trainer is hitting that kind of volume, they tend to have a good feel for which horses need dropping in grade and which are ready to step up. The timing of Hardly Surprising's first win, coming fresh off the back of two third-place finishes, suggests exactly that kind of careful placement at work.
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fontwell Park Tight |
2 | 1 win, 1 other | 8 Apr | 50% |
| Bangor-on-Dee Sharp |
1 | 1 third | 29 Nov | 0% |
| Doncaster Galloping |
1 | 1 third | 23 Jan | 0% |