Patontheback

His record of 6 wins from 59 races means he wins roughly 1 in every 10 races, which is modest at first glance, but the detail that jumps out is his record at Musselburgh: 2 wins from just 3 visits. That is extraordinary efficiency. Most horses run at a track a dozen times before winning once, if they win there at all. Patontheback seems to genuinely love the place, and his most recent win came there in August 2025 — an amateur race under Amy Collier — which his trainer Gemma Tutty described with obvious warmth. That win suggested a horse still capable of producing his best when the circumstances suit him.

Tutty, who trains out of Osmotherley in North Yorkshire and has sent out 20 winners already this season, is quietly confident about Patontheback's prospects. She believes he is well placed in the weights right now — essentially, the race organisers have given him a lighter burden to carry, which should make things fairer for him. But she has also been honest about the frustration of recent runs. After a race at Catterick where everything went perfectly and he still could not win, she said plainly: "I thought if he doesn't win today he's never going to, as everything went perfect for him." That kind of candour from a trainer is rare and tells you a lot — she knows this horse, she believes in him, and she is also realistic about the fine margins involved.

His most regular jockey is Rowan Scott, who has won 3 of their 18 races together — that is 1 win in every 6 rides, or 17%, which is actually a healthy rate and well above Patontheback's overall average. The current run of six races without a win will not last forever, and with Musselburgh likely to come round again and a trainer who clearly has his season planned out, there are worse situations to be in. He is a horse with a favourite track, a loyal team behind him, and a career that shows he knows how to win when the moment arrives.