Witch Hunter

The key to understanding Witch Hunter is understanding how he races. He misses the start, drifts to the back of the field, and needs horses to pass him before he fires. It sounds maddening, and it clearly is — Hannon said after the Ascot win, half-laughing, that he hates the way he rides, before immediately crediting jockey Jamie Spencer with a superb round of tactics. The horse does not respond to being forced forward; he responds to momentum, and when he gets it, he can beat the best. On normal ground he wins 4 from 16 races, a 25% win rate that is the best version of him.

His regular rider Sean Levey has partnered him 23 times for 3 wins, roughly 1 in every 8 outings. That consistency matters because Witch Hunter is the kind of horse who needs someone who truly understands the brief. His most recent wins both came at Newcastle's all-weather track in September 2025 and January 2026, both at Class 2 level, and his last six results — including an 11th and a 19th — suggest he is currently in one of his quieter patches. But Hannon is not worried. He says the horse ran well at Newcastle recently, finishing strongly with nowhere to go, and that Royal Ascot is the target this summer.

Richard Hannon's yard has already sent out 118 winners this season, so this is not a team short of ammunition. But Witch Hunter, the horse that arrived at Ascot at 100/1 and won anyway, carries a particular kind of interest. When the ground is right, the draw is right, and the race unfolds slowly enough to suit him, Hannon believes he will hit what he calls "the bullseye." The only problem, as even his trainer admits, is knowing exactly which day that will be.