Thickthorn Tom

The most striking thing about Thickthorn Tom is the timing of that form. His last six races read 3-2-1-2-1-1 going backwards, which means he has won three of his last six — including a win at Worcester just this week. He first got off the mark at Newton Abbot back in May 2026, and he has not looked back since. Something has clearly clicked.

His record on normal ground tells an important story. From four races in standard conditions, he has won two of them — that is a 50% win rate, which in horse racing terms is bordering on freakish. Find him on a decent surface and he becomes a different proposition.

The one puzzle in his profile is his record at Class 4 level, which is the grade he typically lines up in. From four races at that level, he has yet to win — zero from four. That sounds odd set against his recent run of form, but it likely just means his wins have come at the grades below, and that stepping up in class is still a work in progress. Whether he can translate this current purple patch into a result at his regular level is the question worth watching.

Skelton's operation adds a layer of credibility here. The yard at Alcester has sent out 198 winners this season alone — that is a conveyor belt of success, and horses stabled there tend to be well-placed. When a yard of that size and quality keeps running a horse, it is usually because they believe there is more to come. With Thickthorn Tom in the form of his life and racing just a day ago, this looks like a horse right in the middle of his best spell.