Take The Boat

The most interesting thread running through Take The Boat's career is its love of Kempton Park. Of its 4 career wins, 3 have come at the same track — 3 wins from 9 races there, which is a 33% win rate at a single venue. For context, most horses never win at all at a particular track across that many tries. Kempton seems to suit the way it moves and races, and that first career win there in February 2025 appears to have unlocked something. Wet and muddy ground is another consistent ally: 3 wins from 9 races on soft conditions, again roughly 1 in 3, compared to a much thinner record on faster ground.

The partnership with jockey Rob Hornby is arguably the most striking stat in the file. Together they have won 3 of their 7 races — that is 43%, or winning nearly 3 in every 7 times they team up. That is an exceptional hit rate by any measure, and it suggests a real understanding between horse and rider. Trainer Georgina Nicholls, based at Kingston Lisle in Oxfordshire, has sent out 11 winners this season, so the yard is clearly in decent form.

The honest caveat is that Take The Boat has not won in its last 6 races, with its most recent victory coming at Wolverhampton back in February 2026 — four months ago now. Recent form reads 3-2-9-2-4-10, so there are plenty of placed efforts mixed in with the blanks, suggesting the horse is still running well without quite getting its head in front. It raced just yesterday, so the yard are clearly keeping it busy. If it turns up at Kempton on a wet day with Hornby aboard, that is the moment to pay attention.