New Image

The horse broke through for his first career win at Southwell back in March 2024, then showed he could operate at the highest level when he won a Class 2 race at Ascot in August—a significant achievement in a yard sending out thirty-three winners this season under trainer Michael Herrington. Yet New Image remains inconsistent at the top. Over his six attempts in Class 2 races, he has won just once, suggesting the very best opposition often exposes his limitations. His form over the past six races tells the story: a third-place finish, a win, then a run of defeats and mid-field finishes before last week's return to the winner's circle.

Herrington has mapped out a considered plan for his horse's spring campaign, bringing him back from a break in decent order and targeting races where his strengths—his love of normal ground and his proven Southwell form—can be deployed. The trainer sees potential in bigger races like the Victoria Cup on his second start of the season, with stiffer tracks like Ascot or York also in the mix. For a six-year-old mid-range performer, New Image is doing what he does best: winning at the courses and on the ground that suit him, and offering value to those who understand his particular profile.