Wishing upon a Star - could this be the horse to end trainer's 133-day losing run?

Jessica Macey: has moved onto nine winners for the season

Jessica Macey: "Hopefully she can get her head in front as we could do with a winner"Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

What might you wish for when you are on a losing run? An in-form horse who is well handicapped and well drawn would be good. And it looks as though Jessica Macey's dreams may have come true.

She is a capable trainer and going 133 days without a winner does not mean she has forgotten how to do the job.

The 'run to form' percentage of 67 against her name on the Racing Post website shows her horses have been running their races more often than not of late — and it is a higher figure than that of any other trainer in the field.

Her sprinter Thunder Star has hinted at the underlying good health of the string by running her best races since the spring on her last two starts, beaten just three-quarters of a length here eight days ago.

The five-year-old remains 9lb below her career-high handicap mark and has the plum berth in stall one, so looks sure to run a big race.

By contrast Darlo Pride is as high as he has ever been in the weights after two wins in December and ran last time as though that may make things tough for him. He has been beaten all eight times he has raced off a mark higher than 66 and is rated 70 now.

Gustav Graves is another sprinter who slipped down the handicap through a quiet spell and is now taking advantage, winning well at Wolverhampton on Monday.

Oriental Prince is a typically progressive Jim Goldie handicapper who has won twice over course and distance recently and has further improvement in him.

He races off a mark 3lb lower than when his new rating kicks in on Saturday and has every chance for an in-form trainer who has already sent out five winners in 2025.
Analysis by David Carr

What they say

Jessica Macey, trainer of Thunder Star
She ran well there to be second the other day and this looks an easier race on paper. Hopefully she can get her head in front as we could do with a winner.

Liam Bailey, trainer of Dicko The Legend
He’s never won over five furlongs but the way the surface was riding there on Wednesday suggests you'll need a six-furlong horse to win it. He ran well to be fourth the other day and we’ll give it a good go.

Tony Carroll, trainer of Mumayaz
He likes the track, so we’re going back there for another crack. He’s a consistent sort and if he doesn’t finish second he’ll win.

Derek Shaw, trainer of Gustav Graves
He won well the other day and deserved a change of luck as he’d been drawn on the wing a couple of times before that. He’s drawn in the middle this time, so hopefully it’s happy days.
Reporting by David Milnes