Second Fiddle

The most striking number in Second Fiddle's record is what happens at Newcastle. Five wins from 10 races there — that means this horse has won exactly half of every race it has entered at that track. That is not luck; that is a horse that genuinely suits the place, whether it is the shape of the track, the ground, or simply the distance. Speaking of which, Second Fiddle is at its very best over 1 mile 1 furlong to 1 mile 2 furlongs, winning 6 of 14 races at those trips, a 43% win rate. Add in a preference for normal ground conditions — 5 wins from 11 races at 45% — and you have a horse with a very clear profile. Get the trip, the track, and a decent surface and this horse delivers.

The partnership with jockey Aiden Brookes borders on the extraordinary. Together they have won 4 of their 5 races, an 80% win rate. That is the kind of figure that makes you look twice. A horse and jockey who understand each other that well is a genuine advantage, and it shows up clearly in the results.

Second Fiddle operates mainly in Class 6, the entry-level tier of British racing, and there it has won all 5 races it has entered — a perfect record at that level. That tells its own story: this is a horse operating comfortably within its comfort zone, and when conditions suit, it is very hard to beat.

Trainer Iain Jardine, based in Carrutherstown in Dumfries and Galloway, has had a productive season with 57 winners sent out this year, and Second Fiddle is part of what has made the yard tick. Recent form shows results of 7th, 10th, 10th, 8th, and 11th across the last five outings since that last Newcastle win in December, so the horse is clearly working to rediscover that winning thread. Racing just yesterday and still active, the story is far from finished.