Merrijig

The most striking thing about Merrijig's record is how well the horse performs on normal ground — 2 wins from just 3 races in those conditions, which is a remarkable two-thirds success rate. Most horses need a dozen attempts to win twice anywhere; Merrijig has done it in three on standard going. That is the kind of stat worth paying close attention to when entries come around.

Jockey Gina Mangan is clearly the partner to have on board. In 11 races together, she has ridden 3 winners — that is a 27% win rate, wins roughly 1 in every 4 rides, which is genuinely strong. By comparison, Merrijig's overall win rate across all jockeys is closer to 1 in 6. The partnership clearly brings something out in the horse.

Trained by John Berry at Newmarket — one of the historic homes of British racing in Suffolk — Merrijig is part of a yard that has sent out 13 winners this season, so the operation is in form. The most recent win came at Newcastle on 18 November 2025, and Merrijig has been off the track for around four months since then. A break that long can mean anything from a minor setback to a carefully planned rest, but Berry's yard being in good shape is an encouraging sign for the return.

Most of Merrijig's racing has come at Class 5, the everyday level of the sport rather than the big occasions, with 2 wins from 15 races at that level. The first win came at Redcar back in September 2023, and the most recent form figures — a win followed by a seventh, two fourths, a third and a fifth — paint the picture of a horse that ran a blinder last time out and will need to find that same level again after the break. Whether it does is the question worth watching.