Imperial Cult

Trained by George Baker at Epsom Downs, Imperial Cult thrives on normal ground conditions. On fast, dry ground the horse is genuinely dangerous, winning 3 of its last 8 races on such surfaces (a 38% win rate). That's the sort of form that catches the attention. The horse has also become something of a specialist at Lingfield Park, where it has won 3 of 9 races. That venue clearly suits, and the yard will have noted this as a fixture worth returning to.

Most of Imperial Cult's racing takes place in Class 6 company, the lower tiers of British racing, where the horse has won only 2 of 19 races. That tells you this is not a horse likely to step up and dominate higher-grade competition. But within its proper grade, form like winning twice in the last six outings represents genuine momentum. The horse last won at Sandown Park just over a week ago and has raced within the last day, so Imperial Cult remains an active contender. Gina Mangan, its most regular pilot, has ridden the horse 14 times and won twice, mirroring the horse's own win rate. For a horse now in its seventh year, Imperial Cult has learned to earn its keep, and that recent purple patch suggests there's still some racing left in it at the right track and on the right ground.