Straight Ahead
Straight Ahead is a 3-year-old with a fighting spirit and a sharp eye for Newcastle. The horse has won twice from 12 races — roughly 1 in every 6 — and has shown enough promise lately to suggest there could be more to come. What catches the eye is how it runs at Class 5 level: it has won once from just four attempts there, a 25% win rate that stands well above its overall average. That win came at Newcastle on 20 December, and before that another victory at the same track on 22 November. Newcastle clearly brings out the best in this horse, which is a valuable clue for anyone watching its next few races.Based on TrackLab's AI analysis
📊 Key Numbers
Career statistics for this horse
50%
Place rate (top 3)
avg ~30%
🔍 Full Analysis
TrackLab's AI-generated assessment based on career data and recent form
Recent form has been mixed but encouraging. Over the last six races, Straight Ahead has finished in the places five times: two wins, plus four placings (second, second, fourth, and eighth). The most recent race was just a day ago, so the horse is still sharp and racing regularly. Sam James has been the regular jockey, combining with Straight Ahead five times for one win, though that's a smaller sample size than you'd ideally like to judge consistency. Trainer Craig Lidster runs a yard at Norton in North Yorkshire that has sent out 20 winners already this season, so the stable is in good form and capable of getting the best out of its horses.
The eight-month gap between the December win and now suggests Straight Ahead may have faced some time away, but the recent run of placed efforts shows it has come back sound and competitive. With two wins in the last six races and a clear liking for Newcastle's track, this is a horse worth keeping an eye on — particularly if it heads back north.
⚡ Strengths & Risks
What the data says works for and against this horse
⚠ What to watch out for
⚠ Poor record on good ground: 0 wins from 5 starts
⚠ Poor record on good_to_firm ground: 0 wins from 3 starts
🎯 Where This Horse Thrives
Performance broken down by ground, distance, class, and track type
🌧 Ground Conditions
Good to soft (some give)
Unknown
Standard (all-weather)
Unknown
Good to firm (drying out)
Avoids
🏅 Competition Level
Class 2 (high-level)
Unknown
Class 4 (standard)
Unknown
Class 5 (entry-level)
Loves
🏟 Track Shape
Left-handed, long straights
Loves
Right-handed, tight turns
Unknown
Right-handed, hilly
Unknown
Left-handed, tight
Unknown
📅 Recent Runs
The last 10 races, most recent first
12 Aug
2nd
Beverley
5f – 6½f · Good_To_Firm · 11 runners
16 Jul
2nd
Thirsk
5f – 6½f · Good_To_Firm · 9 runners
12 Jun
8th
York
5f – 6½f · Good · 15 runners
31 May
4th
Thirsk
5f – 6½f · Good · 13 runners
20 Dec
🏆 Won
Newcastle
5f – 6½f · Standard · 4 runners
22 Nov
🏆 Won
Newcastle
5f – 6½f · Standard · 7 runners
4 Oct
14th
Redcar
5f – 6½f · Good_To_Soft · 16 runners
26 Aug
2nd
Ripon
5f – 6½f · Good_To_Firm · 8 runners
1 Aug
2nd
Musselburgh
5f – 6½f · Good · 5 runners
2 Jul
5th
Thirsk
5f – 6½f · Good · 11 runners
🏇 Jockey Partnerships
Every jockey who has ridden this horse, sorted by rides together
🏟 Track Record
Win rate at each course this horse has visited
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|
| Thirsk Galloping |
3 |
1 second, 2 other |
16 Jul |
0% |
| Newcastle Galloping |
2 |
2 wins |
20 Dec |
100% |
| Beverley Undulating |
2 |
1 second, 1 other |
12 Aug |
0% |
| Chester Tight |
1 |
1 other |
14 Jun |
0% |
| Musselburgh Sharp |
1 |
1 second |
1 Aug |
0% |
| Ripon Sharp |
1 |
1 second |
26 Aug |
0% |
| Redcar Galloping |
1 |
1 other |
4 Oct |
0% |
| York Galloping |
1 |
1 other |
12 Jun |
0% |