No Knee Never

The real story is Wolverhampton. This is where No Knee Never becomes a different horse. It has won 3 of its last 6 races at the track, including a victory just last week on 28 September. That 50% win rate at Wolverhampton is extraordinary compared to its overall 12% win rate, and it marks the horse as a genuine course specialist. James Owen's Newmarket yard clearly knows how to point this horse in the right direction, and getting it to Wolverhampton remains the safest bet for the yard seeking another win.

The horse also thrives on normal ground—it has won 5 of 22 races on standard conditions, a 23% win rate. Soft or fast ground has been less profitable. Over its preferred distance of five to six and a half furlongs, No Knee Never has won 1 of 4 races, a 25% win rate. A recent run of two fifth-place finishes and a sixth followed by a tenth suggests the horse may be due a layoff or a change of scenery, but there is no point in overanalyzing. Sam James, its most frequent jockey, has ridden it six times without a win, so a fresh partnership might be worth exploring. Owen's yard remains in strong form this season with 205 winners, so the infrastructure around this horse is solid. For a horse that has earned its keep over a long career, No Knee Never remains a worthwhile proposing at Wolverhampton on normal ground.