What makes Loriko interesting right now is the momentum. It won this week at Market Rasen on 15 August, and before that had finished first, second, first, and second in its four races before that. That is the shape of a horse firing on schedule, turning up fresh and competitive each time. The most recent race, just yesterday, ended in a distant sixth, but that happens to every horse—what matters is the overall pattern, and the pattern here is one of a reliable, willing racer that has learned how to win.
Loriko is trained by Dan Skelton at Alcester in Warwickshire, part of a powerful yard that has sent out 198 winners already this season. The horse made its first trip to the winner's enclosure at Huntingdon back in May, which means it has gone from debut winner to regular contender in the space of just a few months. For a five-year-old still building its record, this is exactly the kind of progression that suggests the best might still be ahead.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uttoxeter Sharp |
2 | 1 win, 1 third | 4 Jun | 50% |
| Market Rasen Sharp |
2 | 1 win, 1 second | 15 Aug | 50% |
| Huntingdon Galloping |
1 | 1 win | 7 May | 100% |
| Cheltenham Galloping |
1 | 1 third | 25 Oct | 0% |
| Ascot Galloping |
1 | 1 second | 21 Nov | 0% |
| Plumpton Sharp |
1 | 1 second | 6 Apr | 0% |
| hereford | 1 | 1 other | 20 Dec | 0% |