Trainer Ruth Carr, based at Stillington in North Yorkshire, has had a productive season by any measure — 63 winners sent out already, which is the kind of output that tells you a yard knows what it is doing. Carr describes Superfortress as a very big horse, and importantly, one she considers still immature. That matters. A physically large, slow-developing horse at five can still have significant improvement ahead, whereas a compact, precocious type is often closer to their ceiling. His breeding is also worth noting: he is by Sea The Stars, one of the most celebrated sires in European racing, out of a mare by Dark Angel, another high-quality stallion. That is a genuinely well-bred horse, and Carr clearly rates him — she has singled him out as her dark horse of the season, which is not something a trainer says lightly about a horse yet to win.
Jockey James Sullivan has been in the saddle for all six races and is yet to ride him to victory, but given Carr's confidence that improvement is coming, that partnership may well be the one that finally gets the job done. Three placed finishes from six races — so placing in half his races — suggests Superfortress is honest and consistent rather than frustrating and flaky. He turns up, he competes, he just needs one more gear. With an experienced yard behind him and a trainer who genuinely believes in him, the first win feels like a matter of when rather than if.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwell Galloping |
2 | 1 second, 1 other | 25 Apr | 0% |
| Beverley Undulating |
1 | 1 second | 12 May | 0% |
| Redcar Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 27 Oct | 0% |
| Newcastle Galloping |
1 | 1 second | 14 Oct | 0% |
| Ripon Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 3 Jun | 0% |