Sugar Baby

The horse is clearly not a specialist in the cheaper Class 5 races where it typically competes, winning just 1 of 19 attempts at that level. But move the goal posts slightly and the picture changes. Sugar Baby absolutely thrives on fast, dry ground, winning 5 of 14 races in those conditions — a win rate of roughly 1 in 3. On slow, muddy ground the horse still performs well, winning 2 of 6 races. This tells you that Sugar Baby is a horse that needs proper underfoot conditions to show its best, and that handicappers and trainers clearly know it. Peter Niven's yard, based at Barton-le-Street in North Yorkshire, has been getting the best out of the horse: it won most recently at Doncaster on 20 June, four months ago, and continues to race regularly — it was out just a day ago, finishing ninth. The horse has a fondness for Thirsk, its local track, where it has won 2 of 7 races there. Alec Voikhansky, who rides it regularly, has a better win rate aboard Sugar Baby than the horse manages overall, winning 2 of 8 rides together, suggesting they work well as a combination. Recent form has been patchy — a win, then a string of moderate finishes — but at eight years old and with nearly 50 races on the clock, Sugar Baby is an established, dependable middle-of-the-road racer that picks up victories often enough to keep its the yard interested.