Night Raider

Trainer Karl Burke, whose yard in Coverham, North Yorkshire has sent out 140 winners this season alone, spotted early that Night Raider was something special. Even after his first win at Southwell in December 2023, Burke was already talking about heading to the Guineas — one of the most famous races in the sport. That ambition was eventually scaled back, but Night Raider responded by winning a Class 1 at Newcastle in November 2024 in style. Jockey Oisin Murphy noted afterwards that he beat "two decent benchmarks" with real comfort, which in plain terms means he made two good horses look ordinary.

The conditions matter with this horse. On normal ground, Night Raider has won all three races he has contested — a perfect record. Wet or muddy ground is a different story, and Burke has been clear that softer conditions would not suit him. Over seven furlongs to a mile, he has won 2 of 3 races (67%), suggesting that is his sweet spot for now, though Burke has since found that dropping back to six furlongs has unlocked something exciting, hinting at a top-class sprinter in the making.

His most trusted partner in the saddle is Daniel Tudhope, who has ridden him to 2 wins from 5 races together — a win rate of 40%, which is a remarkable return at this level. When horse and jockey click, they clearly click well.

The awkward fact is that Night Raider has not won in six races, and has not tasted victory since that November Newcastle success — now 17 months ago. He also returns having been absent for roughly six months. Whether that break has freshened him up or whether the consistent top-level competition has simply caught up with him is the question Burke and the team will be hoping to answer when he next steps out.