Riskintheground

The headline moment came at Cheltenham in April 2025, when he landed a Class 1 race at one of the most demanding tracks in Britain — the kind of result that defines a career. That he followed it just five days later with a Class 2 win at Ayr tells you something about his constitution. Trainer Dan Skelton has been open about what makes him tick: spring ground, when conditions are fast and dry, seems to bring the best out of him. After winning at Haydock, Skelton noted that he "just loves the spring conditions and you can rely on him at this time of the year" — and the horse's recent record backs that up entirely.

Most of his racing life has been spent taking on the best company around. He has run 11 times in Class 1 races — the very top tier — winning once, a 9% return that sounds modest until you consider how few horses get anywhere near that level at all. His week-to-week partnership with jockey Harry Skelton, the trainer's brother, has produced 8 of those 10 career wins from 29 races together, a win rate of 28%, or better than 1 in every 4 rides — a real working relationship built on familiarity.

What makes the picture particularly interesting right now is that Riskintheground is racing as well as he ever has. He raced just yesterday, and his last six runs read 3-1-2-1-11-11 in reverse order — two victories bookending a consistent stretch. He last won at Perth three weeks ago and has placed in four of his last six races. At nine, horses are not always improving, but he appears to have found a level that suits him. Skelton, whose yard has already sent out 198 winners this season, has made no secret that he has specific targets in mind, mentioning a run at Sandown at the end of the season. When a trainer is thinking that clearly about a horse's programme, it usually means they believe there is more to come.