The recent form makes for interesting reading. After finishing ninth and eleventh in its first two runs — which is about as far back as you can go without being invisible — Make It Up has come on considerably. Back-to-back third-place finishes were followed by a fifth, and most recently a second place just one day ago. That is a clear improvement in form, and the direction of travel matters. A horse that is getting closer with each race is a very different proposition to one that is drifting further away.
William Knight trains out of Newmarket in Suffolk, which is the heartland of British flat racing — a town so dominated by horses that the locals barely look up when a string of them trots through the high street. Knight's yard has sent out 28 winners this season, which tells you this is a stable that knows how to get a horse ready to win. That Make It Up hasn't broken through yet is not for lack of professional support.
The horse has raced three times at Class 5 level, which is the lower end of the competitive ladder — essentially the races where horses are finding their feet or working their way back to form. Winning zero from three at that level is a little frustrating given the company, but the placed finishes show it is competitive. One good day, a clear run through the field, and the right set of rivals could be all it takes. With a second place just yesterday and a trainer clearly in form this season, Make It Up's first win might not be as far away as that blank space in the winners column suggests.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolverhampton Galloping |
2 | 1 third, 1 other | 2 Jun | 0% |
| Kempton Park Galloping |
2 | 1 third, 1 other | 30 Apr | 0% |
| Bath Undulating |
1 | 1 other | 9 Oct | 0% |
| Lingfield Park Sharp |
1 | 1 second | 13 Jul | 0% |
| Southwell Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 24 Oct | 0% |