Rain Cap

The most striking thing about Rain Cap is what happens when you point it at Catterick Bridge. Four wins from 24 races at that track is a remarkable record — it means Rain Cap has won 1 in every 6 times it has turned up there. For context, the horse has only managed 2 wins from the other 33 races at everywhere else combined. Something about that tight, turning circuit in North Yorkshire just suits this horse. It was where Rain Cap won for the very first time, back in September 2021, and the track clearly left a lasting impression.

Rain Cap also has a clear preference for short, sharp distances — between 5 furlongs and 6½ furlongs — where it has won 5 of its 28 races, or roughly 1 in every 6. That's a noticeably better record than over longer trips, and it fits the profile of a horse that wants to sprint rather than grind. Add in a decent record on fast, dry ground — 2 wins from 12 races, or about 1 in 6 — and you get a picture of what Rain Cap needs to be at its best: a quick track, a short distance, and ideally a left-hand bend at Catterick.

The partnership with jockey Sean Kirrane has been the most productive of Rain Cap's career. Together they have won 5 of their 26 races, or roughly 1 in every 5 — a better ratio than Rain Cap manages overall, which suggests the pair have built a genuine understanding over time. Trainer John David Riches, operating out of a small yard in Pilling, Lancashire, has sent out 5 winners already this season, so the operation is in decent health.

Rain Cap last won at Pontefract in late July 2025, and has not added to that tally in six races since. At nine years old and operating mostly at Class 6 — the entry level of British racing — this is a horse near the end of its career. But it raced just six days ago, it is still placing, and it is clearly still enjoying itself. That counts for something.