Let's Go Hugo

What makes Let's Go Hugo worth following is how sharply his record improves on normal ground conditions. On standard, dry going, he has won six of his 26 races (a 23% win rate), nearly double his overall win rate. That kind of specificity matters in racing: it means there are days when conditions suit him and he becomes genuinely competitive. He is also a course specialist at Wolverhampton, where he has won two of eight races, suggesting the track brings out something in him that other venues do not.

Ollie Pears's yard at Norton has sent out nine winners this season, and Let's Go Hugo remains an active member of the string. He typically races in Class 6 contests, where competition is modest, and that level reflects his ability—seven wins from 56 races is solid without being spectacular. The partnership with regular jockey Tom Kiely-Marshall has yielded only one win from 12 races together, but the most recent form suggests the horse is performing at his best regardless of who is in the saddle. With a win just a fortnight ago and three victories from his last six outings, this veteran is running as well as he has in a long time.