Susiesparkle

Those 8 places from 31 races tell an interesting story, though. Susiesparkle is not a horse that falls apart when the pressure is on — she keeps finding the frame even when the winner is out of reach. That kind of consistency at the lower end of the sport, specifically Class 6 which is the entry level of British racing, is worth something. At that level she has won 2 from 8 races, a rate of 25%, or 1 in every 4. That is a genuinely respectable figure, and it tells you she belongs at that level and can occasionally beat her rivals when conditions align.

The distance range of a mile and three to a mile and four furlongs appears to suit her best, where she has won 1 from 9 races at 11% — roughly 1 in every 9 — which is meaningfully better than her overall record. That may not sound impressive in isolation, but for a horse with her overall numbers, finding even a narrow window of strength is significant. Her two career wins came at Thirsk in September 2024 and at Newcastle in February 2025, and the fact that her most recent win is now 13 months in the past adds a layer of concern. The last 6 races have produced nothing better than a fifth place, and two of those runs were non-completions, which will have done little to encourage anyone watching.

Trainer Mike Sowersby operates out of Little Barugh in North Yorkshire and has sent out 6 winners this season, so the yard is ticking along. Susiesparkle raced 19 days ago and remains in work, which at least suggests the team have not given up on finding another opportunity for her. Whether that opportunity arrives before the end of the season is another question — but she has surprised people before, and at the right level, on the right day, she is capable of doing it again.