Sunny Smile
Sunny Smile has had a quiet year in the saddle, picking up just one win from ten career races so far — a breakthrough victory at Hamilton Park back in July 2025. That victory came over a mile, but the real sweet spot for this three-year-old appears to be shorter sprints between five and six-and-a-half furlongs, where it has won one of five races, nearly double its overall win rate. The problem is that since that July win thirteen months ago, Sunny Smile has managed five places but no victories across its last six outings, most recently finishing eighth just a day ago.Based on TrackLab's analysis
📊 Key numbers
Career totals for this horse
🔍 Full analysis
Our model's view, based on this horse's career and recent runs
What's encouraging is that when Sunny Smile competes in Class 4 races — the midfield tier — it performs noticeably better, winning one in four starts there compared to the 10 percent win rate across all races. This suggests the horse does have the ability to win when conditions align and the opposition is right. Trainer Hugo Palmer, who runs a successful operation at Malpas in Cheshire with 67 winners this season already, will be looking to find the right races to get Sunny Smile back to the winner's circle. The last six races show consistency of sorts — mostly placing but no breakthroughs — which means the horse isn't out of form so much as stuck in a rut. Another crack at the right Class 4 sprint in familiar territory could be the key to ending this thirteen-month drought.
⚡ Strengths and risks
What helps this horse and what to watch out for
✓ What works in their favour
✔ Excellent record on good ground: 1 wins from 3 starts (33%)
✔ Well suited by 5f – 6½f distances: 20% win rate
⚠ What to watch out for
⚠ Poor record on good_to_firm ground: 0 wins from 4 starts
🎯 Where this horse runs best
Results split by ground, distance, race level and track shape
🌧 Ground
Good (a little give)
Loves
Good to soft (some give)
Unknown
Good to firm (fairly firm)
Avoids
🏅 Race level
Class 2 (high-level)
Unknown
🏟 Track shape
Right-handed, tight turns
Unknown
Left-handed, hilly
Unknown
Left-handed, long straights
Avoids
Right-handed, long straights
Avoids
📅 Recent runs
The last 10 races, most recent first
20 Aug
8th
Newmarket
7f – 1m · Good_To_Firm · 10 runners
6 Aug
5th
Sandown Park
7f – 1m · Good_To_Firm · 6 runners
4 Jul
2nd
Sandown Park
7f – 1m · Good_To_Firm · 6 runners
17 Jun
2nd
Ffos Las
7f – 1m · Soft · 7 runners
5 Jun
12th
Epsom Downs
7f – 1m · Good_To_Soft · 16 runners
3 Sep
2nd
Hamilton Park
5f – 6½f · Good_To_Soft · 8 runners
15 Aug
4th
Newbury
5f – 6½f · Good · 8 runners
18 Jul
🏆 Won
Hamilton Park
5f – 6½f · Good · 6 runners
21 Jun
5th
Ayr
5f – 6½f · Good · 9 runners
21 May
3rd
Ayr
5f – 6½f · Good_To_Firm · 7 runners
🏇 Jockeys
Every jockey who has ridden this horse, most rides first
🏟 Course record
Win rate at each course this horse has visited
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|
| Hamilton Park Sharp |
2 |
1 win, 1 second |
3 Sep |
50% |
| Sandown Park Galloping |
2 |
1 second, 1 other |
6 Aug |
0% |
| Ayr Galloping |
2 |
1 third, 1 other |
21 Jun |
0% |
| Newbury Galloping |
1 |
1 other |
15 Aug |
0% |
| Epsom Downs Undulating |
1 |
1 other |
5 Jun |
0% |
| Newmarket Galloping |
1 |
1 other |
20 Aug |
0% |
| Ffos Las Galloping |
1 |
1 second |
17 Jun |
0% |