What makes that win worth watching is the trajectory it suggests. The most recent four results read 1-8-7-6 in reverse order, meaning Victory Ace has been working backwards through the field race by race before finally breaking through. That kind of gradual improvement is exactly what you want to see in a young horse still learning its trade — it speaks to a horse that is developing rather than one that got lucky on the day.
The training operation behind Victory Ace is well worth noting. John Butler runs his yard out of Newmarket, which is essentially the heartland of British horse racing — the town exists for the sport, and the competition among trainers there is fierce. Butler has sent out 27 winners already this season, which is a strong return and suggests a yard operating in good form. Having that kind of momentum behind a horse that has just opened its account is a decent position to be in.
Victory Ace raced just yesterday, so the coming weeks will be telling. The Lingfield win is one data point, but it is a real one — and for a three-year-old trained by a yard currently firing on all cylinders, there is every reason to think the story is only just beginning.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lingfield Park Sharp |
2 | 1 win, 1 other | 14 Apr | 50% |
| Newcastle Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 5 Dec | 0% |
| Newmarket Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 8 Aug | 0% |