Sam's Amour

The most recent win came at Stratford-on-Avon back in October 2024 — now over six months ago — and the six races since have not produced another victory, with a fourth place the best of it. There is no obvious crisis here, but at Class 4 level, which is where Sam's Amour typically lines up, the competition is consistent enough that a run of near-misses can feel like a long wait. Two wins from 12 races at that level, roughly 1 in 6, suggests a horse who belongs there but has to be at its best to get to the front.

The most interesting thread in this story is the partnership with jockey Adam Wedge. In eight races together, they have won three times — that is a win rate of 38%, or just under 2 in every 5 rides. For context, that is nearly three times the horse's overall win rate across its whole career. Something clearly clicks between horse and rider, and when Wedge is in the saddle, Sam's Amour is a very different proposition. Whether that is down to Wedge's style, his understanding of the horse, or simply good timing is hard to say — but the numbers make a compelling case that it matters.

The yard behind the horse belongs to Keiran Burke, based in Whitcombe, Dorset, and has sent out 12 winners already this season — a healthy output that suggests a team in decent form. Sam's Amour raced just yesterday, so the yard will have a fresh read on where things stand. At nine, with a first career win only arriving in May 2024, this is not a horse whose story has followed the obvious path — and with Wedge available and the yard in form, another day in the winner's enclosure is far from out of the question.