Meatloaf

The most striking thing about Meatloaf is how much he loves Wincanton. He has won there 3 times from just 5 visits — that is a 60% win rate at a single track, which in horse racing terms is extraordinary. Most horses are happy to win anywhere they can get it; Meatloaf has made one circuit of a Somerset course his personal territory. His first career win came there in December 2022, and Nicholls has clearly been careful about matching the horse to the right conditions ever since.

Those conditions matter a great deal. Meatloaf has won 3 of his 7 races on slightly wet ground — conditions where some horses struggle and others come alive. He has also won 3 of just 5 races at distances between a mile and six furlongs and two miles, a success rate of 60% in that range, which suggests the team knows exactly where his sweet spot lies. Nicholls has said publicly that two miles suits him just fine.

His partnership with jockey Harry Cobden has been particularly productive. In 7 races together, Cobden has steered Meatloaf to 3 wins — that is 43%, or nearly 1 in every 2 races they have run as a pair. That kind of chemistry between horse and rider is genuinely rare, and it is the sort of combination a trainer leans on for the big days.

There is, however, a gap to address. Meatloaf last won in April 2024 — two years ago — and has not troubled the scorer in his last 6 races, with a season on the sidelines after suffering a leg injury at Aintree in May last year. Nicholls has spoken enthusiastically about the horse's return, saying he looks well in his coat and is close to a run. The trainer has flagged that keeping him to the right level is key to unlocking further wins. With Nicholls — a yard that has sent out 92 winners already this season — having identified exactly what this horse needs, it would be unwise to write him off.