Split Elevens

The bulk of that success has come at the lower end of the racing ladder, where Split Elevens has won 11 of its 52 races at Class 6 level — around 1 in every 5, which is exactly the kind of win rate that tells you a horse knows its level and competes hard within it. Most interesting, though, is what happens at Lingfield Park specifically. Three wins from 12 races at that course might sound modest, but for a horse operating at this level, finding a track where you win 1 in every 4 races is genuinely valuable. Trainers notice that. Owners notice it. It is the sort of course record that keeps getting you entries.

John Butler, based in Newmarket, has had a strong season with 39 winners from the yard, and Split Elevens is a good example of the kind of consistent, workmanlike performer that makes a training operation tick. Butler has spoken about the horse being a bit of a character — one that tends to hold a little something back for itself. That is trainer-speak for a horse that does not always give you everything, but it also speaks to a certain self-preservation instinct that has helped keep Split Elevens competitive well into its eighth year.

The most recent win came at Wolverhampton seven weeks ago, and recent form of 4-2-1-4-5-4 shows a horse still running competitively if not always converting. Darragh Keenan has partnered the horse nine times and won once together — 1 from 9, or roughly 11% — a workable rather than exceptional partnership. Split Elevens first won at Chelmsford in January 2022, and the career that has followed since suggests a horse that has found its groove and settled comfortably into it. Not a headline act, but the kind of reliable performer that any yard is quietly glad to have around.