Shighness

The most interesting thread in Shighness's record is what happens at Wetherby. Two wins from just 5 races there is a genuinely impressive hit rate — 40%, or nearly 1 in every 2 visits. Some horses simply take to a particular track, whether it's the shape of the bends, the way the ground rides, or something harder to pin down. Whatever the reason, Wetherby has been a happy hunting ground, and that's exactly where the yard — sorry, that's exactly where trainer Micky Hammond's yard would be looking to send this horse when the conditions suit.

Hammond operates out of Middleham in North Yorkshire and has had 25 winners on the board this season, so the stable is in decent nick. Regular rider Brian Hughes has been aboard for 15 of Shighness's 27 races, winning 2 of them — a win rate of around 1 in 8 together, which is modest but reflects the horse's general level rather than any particular failing from the saddle.

The less encouraging part of the picture is that Shighness hasn't won since Catterick Bridge in February 2024 — that's 28 months ago now, and the last 6 runs have brought a third place and little else to shout about. The recent form reads as a horse that is competitive without quite finding what it needs to get its head in front. At nine years old, the clock is ticking, and a 28-month winless run is hard to ignore. Still, it raced just yesterday and is clearly still active and fit enough to keep running. If there's a win left in Shighness, a return to Wetherby on a good day would be the most logical place to look for it.