Silky Wilkie

What makes that record more impressive is the level it operates at. Competing predominantly in Class 2 races — some of the best races in Britain — Silky Wilkie has won just 1 from 26 at that level, which sounds modest until you realise that Class 2 is where the serious horses live. Showing up and placing repeatedly in that company, rather than dropping down to easier pickings, tells you something about the horse's constitution and the ambition of the yard. K R Burke's operation in Coverham, North Yorkshire, has sent out 138 winners already this season, so they know exactly what they have here and clearly believe it belongs at the top table.

The partnership with jockey Sam Feilden is worth noting — 3 wins from 20 races together, a win rate of 15%, which beats Silky Wilkie's overall average. That kind of familiarity between horse and rider often matters, and the numbers suggest the combination brings something out in the horse. Their best moment together came at Musselburgh on 8 April 2023, when Silky Wilkie won a Class 2 race — one of the top races in Britain — a result that stands as the high-water mark of the career so far.

There are also some very specific conditions that seem to unlock the best in this horse. On slightly soft, wet ground, Silky Wilkie wins 2 from 8 races — a 25% win rate, nearly double the career average. And at Haydock Park, the record reads 2 wins from just 4 visits, which is the kind of course dominance that makes trainers plan their seasons around a venue. Most horses race at a track a dozen times without ever winning there. Silky Wilkie wins half the time at Haydock.

Most recently, it won at Wolverhampton just seven weeks ago and raced again only yesterday, suggesting a horse in excellent health and peak form heading into what could be a productive spring campaign.