Study Up

The key to Study Up lies in the ground beneath his hooves. He has won both his races on fast, dry ground, taking 2 wins from just 3 races on such surfaces — a win rate of two-thirds that stands out sharply against his overall record. Trainer Mark Loughnane, who runs Rock Farm in Worcestershire and has sent out 25 winners this season, was pleased with Study Up's debut victory at Salisbury in July 2024, a confident display that suggested the horse knew his business. When given a chance on the going he likes, Study Up performs like a different animal. The trouble is finding those races, or waiting for the weather to cooperate.

Recent form has been mixed. In his last six outings, he has finished ninth, eighth, second, first, fourth and third — a scatter that hints at inconsistency, though the fourth and third-place finishes suggest he remains capable of running respectably. Study Up performs best over middle distances of 5 furlongs to 6½ furlongs, where he has won 1 of 4 races, and his struggles at the highest level are plain: he has failed to win in 4 attempts at Class 5 races. He is a horse who needs everything in his favour — the right ground, the right distance, and likely a lower-grade race — but when those pieces fall into place, Study Up has shown he will run for his trainer and get the job done.