Veblen Good
Veblen Good has been a curious case of promise and frustration for
David O'Meara's Upper Helmsley yard. The 4-year-old has won twice from 15 races—a win rate of roughly 1 in 7—with those victories coming in quick succession last autumn and spring. The first arrived almost out of nowhere at Wolverhampton in October, a debut for the yard that O'Meara describes as a nice surprise. The second followed five months later at Pontefract over 6 furlongs, but since that April win, Veblen Good has been stuck in a rut, running without success across its last six races. The horse's recent form reads 3-19-7-14-4-4, a mix of minor placings and disappointments that suggests it is struggling to recapture the form that made those early wins possible.
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
O'Meara picked up Veblen Good at the horses in training sales last October, having liked the horse as a yearling, and there is real conviction in how the trainer talks about its potential. He mentions that the horse has "a good deal of ability" and hints at the possibility that 7 furlongs might suit it better than the 6 furlongs at which it has already won. That suggestion matters—horses often improve markedly when stepped up in distance, and if Veblen Good can find the right trip, it might rediscover the form that brought those two wins. For now, though, it remains a horse that has flashed ability without yet proving it can do so consistently. With five months having passed since its last success, it will need to break its current losing streak soon if it is to justify the faith O'Meara clearly invests in it.
⚡ 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 5 starts (20%)
⚠ What to watch out for
⚠ Poor record on good_to_firm ground: 0 wins from 5 starts
🎯 Where this horse runs best
Results split by ground, distance, race level and track shape
🌧 Ground
Good (a little give)
Loves
Standard (all-weather)
Unknown
Good to soft (some give)
Unknown
Good to firm (fairly firm)
Avoids
🏅 Race level
Class 2 (high-level)
Unknown
Class 3 (mid-level)
Unknown
Class 4 (standard)
Unknown
Class 5 (entry-level)
Unknown
🏟 Track shape
Left-handed, long straights
Likes
Right-handed, long straights
Avoids
📅 Recent runs
The last 10 races, most recent first
5 Oct
3rd
Pontefract
5f – 6½f · Good · 13 runners
19 Sep
19th
Ayr
5f – 6½f · Heavy · 25 runners
4 Sep
7th
Ascot
7f – 1m · Good · 8 runners
28 Aug
14th
Thirsk
5f – 6½f · Good · 20 runners
16 Aug
4th
Pontefract
5f – 6½f · Good_To_Firm · 9 runners
25 Jul
4th
York
5f – 6½f · Good_To_Firm · 22 runners
20 Jul
3rd
Ayr
5f – 6½f · Good_To_Firm · 9 runners
1 Jul
3rd
Thirsk
5f – 6½f · Good_To_Firm · 11 runners
5 Jun
13th
Epsom Downs
7f – 1m · Good_To_Soft · 16 runners
29 Apr
🏆 Won
Pontefract
5f – 6½f · Good · 6 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 |
|---|
| Pontefract Undulating |
4 |
1 win, 1 second, 1 third, 1 other |
5 Oct |
25% |
| York Galloping |
2 |
2 other |
25 Jul |
0% |
| Ayr Galloping |
2 |
1 third, 1 other |
19 Sep |
0% |
| Thirsk Galloping |
2 |
1 third, 1 other |
28 Aug |
0% |
| Ascot Galloping |
2 |
2 other |
4 Sep |
0% |
| Wolverhampton Galloping |
1 |
1 win |
14 Oct |
100% |
| Sandown Park Galloping |
1 |
1 second |
13 Sep |
0% |
| Epsom Downs Undulating |
1 |
1 other |
5 Jun |
0% |