Kodi Lion

The horse shows clear preferences that matter. On normal, standard ground he's a different proposition entirely, winning 3 of every 10 races compared to his overall average — that's 38%, which is genuinely impressive. Over five to six and a half furlongs he's won 3 of 10 tries, suggesting that middle distance sits him well. More striking still is his command of Haydock Park. In just five races at the track he's won twice, most recently six weeks ago in September, making him a genuine course specialist there in a way that doesn't happen by accident. The race programme often takes horses back to top-3 finishes that suit them, and Haydock clearly brings something out of him.

Michael Appleby's Oakham yard has been prolific this season with 71 winners, and Kodi Lion slots into that operation as a solid contributor. Frederick Larson, his most frequent jockey, has ridden him five times and won on him once, though that partnership could deliver more. The puzzle is Kodi Lion's record in Class 3 company — his bread and butter — where he's won just once in nine attempts at a much lower win rate. This suggests he's found his level and competes well there without dominating. His recent form shows consistency rather than brilliance: two fifth-place finishes, a ninth, and a ninth-place finish in his last six runs, punctuated by a top-three finish three weeks back. He's a horse that deserves to be watched at Haydock on normal ground in a race that doesn't demand too much more than he's shown he can do.