He Is A Cracker

The most striking thing about this horse is what happens when the ground gets a little soft underfoot. On wet or slightly soft ground, he has won 2 of just 5 races — that is 40%, or nearly 1 in every 2. In horse racing terms, that is an enormous difference from his overall record and suggests the conditions genuinely suit him rather than it being coincidence. When rain arrives before race day, He Is A Cracker becomes a much more interesting proposition.

He is also a horse who has formed a real attachment to Fontwell Park, winning 2 of his 8 races there. His career started at that track in September 2023, and there is clearly something about the tight, figure-of-eight circuit that suits his style. Two wins from eight appearances at one venue is the kind of record that gets noted by people who follow these things closely. Most of his racing has come at Class 5 level — the bread-and-butter tier of the sport — where he has won 2 from 12 (17%), doing his job reliably rather than spectacularly.

His most regular jockey is Miss Isabelle Ryder, who has ridden him in 13 of his 14 races and partnered him to 2 of those 3 wins. That kind of long-running partnership matters — she will know exactly how he travels and when to ask for his effort. Trainer Barry Brennan operates out of Upper Lambourn in Berkshire, and the yard has sent out 6 winners already this season, suggesting it is in decent order. Most importantly, He Is A Cracker won just this week at Newton Abbot — he is fit, racing well, and very much a horse to keep on the right side of.