That belief appears to rest on one specific moment in Jack To Bat's career — an early run over hurdles at Ffos Las in Wales that the trainer felt showed genuine promise. The form from that race, meaning how the other horses in it have since performed, apparently stacked up well, suggesting the level was decent even if Jack To Bat himself didn't go on to build on it straight away. His next couple of outings were a step back from that, but the team's thinking is that switching him to fences — a bigger, more technical obstacle — could unlock something new. It sounds counterintuitive, but some horses simply find jumping fences more natural and respond to the extra challenge.
He has raced four times at Class 4 level, which sits in the middle of the racing ladder — not the biggest stages, but not the bottom rung either — and he has yet to win at that level. What he needs now is for the fence-jumping experiment to click. He raced just yesterday, so he is very much in active training and the team clearly have plans for him. Whether those plans finally result in a winner's enclosure moment remains to be seen, but with a well-resourced yard behind him and a trainer who evidently still sees upside, Jack To Bat is at least in the right hands to find out.
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 1 Jul | 0% |
| Ffos Las Galloping |
2 | 1 third, 1 other | 6 Apr | 0% |
| Chepstow Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 21 Feb | 0% |
| Wetherby Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 17 Mar | 0% |
| Warwick Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 24 Apr | 0% |