The recent form makes the story even more intriguing. Over the last six races, Soca Star has recorded finishes of 2-3-7-2-3-2 — five placings from six runs, with only one poor effort in the mix. The two most recent runs have both been runner-up finishes, which means the horse is in decent shape and running well right now. It raced just one day ago, so this is very much a live, active campaign with momentum behind it.
What raises the stakes is where Soca Star is competing. Three of its races have come at Class 2 level — some of the better races on the British calendar — and it has placed without winning in those too. Running competitively at that level without winning is a double-edged thing: it confirms the horse belongs in decent company, but it also means the competition is serious and winning one of those races would be no small achievement.
Regular jockey Jason Hart has been in the saddle for five of the nine races and is yet to ride the horse to a win, though the pair have clearly been close on more than one occasion. Spencer's yard has sent out 13 winners this season, so the operation knows how to get a horse to win — the firepower is there. Soca Star just needs everything to fall right on the day. For a horse that keeps finishing second, that moment feels closer than the record suggests.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton Park Sharp |
2 | 1 third, 1 other | 3 Sep | 0% |
| Beverley Undulating |
1 | 1 second | 4 Jul | 0% |
| Wolverhampton Galloping |
1 | 1 third | 11 Oct | 0% |
| Ripon Sharp |
1 | 1 third | 9 May | 0% |
| Carlisle Undulating |
1 | 1 third | 19 May | 0% |
| Chepstow Galloping |
1 | 1 second | 19 Aug | 0% |
| Catterick Bridge Sharp |
1 | 1 second | 22 Apr | 0% |
| York Galloping |
1 | 1 third | 13 Jun | 0% |