The real story is Southwell. This track brings out the best in Popular Dream. In 24 races there, it has won four times — a win rate of 1 in 6 — and that kind of consistency at a single course is the mark of a horse that genuinely suits the place. Its most recent win came on 6 January 2026, which means it has been nine months without a victory. That is a long dry spell, and the recent form tells you why: in the last six runs, it has not finished in the top three once, with placings of 5th, 4th, and three 6th-place finishes, plus a 9th.
Joanna Mason has been Popular Dream's regular pilot, and when the two combine, the results improve noticeably. Together they have won four races from 23 — a win rate of roughly 1 in every 6 — which is better than the horse's overall record and suggests a good working relationship. The trainer Derek Shaw, based at Sproxton in Leicestershire, runs a modest operation, having sent out six winners this season. Popular Dream was active as recently as yesterday, so the yard clearly still believes there is racing left in it. Whether that dry run ends at Southwell — where it has always run best — or elsewhere, the horse remains sound and consistent at its level.
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwell Galloping |
24 | 4 wins, 2 seconds, 3 thirds, 15 other | 3 Oct | 16.7% |
| Wolverhampton Galloping |
6 | 6 other | 27 Feb | 0% |
| chelmsford | 3 | 1 second, 1 third, 1 other | 23 May | 0% |
| Nottingham Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 5 Apr | 0% |
| Newcastle Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 4 Feb | 0% |