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Optima RacingHorses › First Encounter (GB)

First Encounter (GB)

5yo b g · Form & record 2023-06-07 to 2026-07-07 — from our verified UK & Irish results database. Trained by John Gallagher.
Pedigree Le Brivido (FR) × Miss Meticulous (GB) (by Bahamian Bounty)
OwnerT J F Smith
BreederPinnacle Bloodstock Ltd
Ratings Official 49 · best RPR 60 · best TS 55
38
Runs
5
Wins
13.2%
Strike rate
31.6%
Place rate
1.03
Actual / Expected
-13.5%
Level-stake ROI

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Full form — last 30 runs

Btn = beaten lengths · OR = official rating · RPR = Racing Post Rating · TS = Topspeed. Blank cells are values we don't hold for that run — never a zero.
DateOffCourseDistGoingCl PosBtnJockeyWgt ORRPRTSSP
2026-07-07 21d Wolverhampton (AW) 8.5f Standard 6 4/9 0.75 Luke Morris b 135 49 53 40 3/1J
Flat AW Cavani Sartorial Classified Stakes (Div 1) raced up eagerly and close to the pace early - made ground to hit the front over 4f out - opened a two length gap 2f out - pushed along but overtaken entering the final furlong - found nothing more and dropped back two spots towards the finish
2026-06-16 14d Wolverhampton (AW) 8.5f Standard 6 5/10 0.1 Darragh Keenan b 135 50 50 32 12/1
Flat AW Sky Sports Racing Virgin 512 Classified Stakes Drifted left at start - raced keenly in mid-division - drifted wide from over 2f out - driven 2f out - gained ground entering final furlong - one pace inside final 110yds
2026-06-02 64d Newcastle (AW) 8f Standard 6 10/13 1 Conor Whiteley b 124 51 49 15 11/1
Flat AW Penny Hotels Handicap Prominent - wandered around over 2f out - soon hung right and hampered rival - weakened quickly from over 1f out(op 10/1)
2026-03-30 33d Wolverhampton (AW) 8.5f Standard 6 6/11 1 Luke Morris b 131 51 51 32 13/2
Flat AW Win £250 000 With BetMGM's Golden Goals Handicap Took keen hold - prominent - bit short of room and no extra final 110yds(tchd 6/1 and tchd 7/1)
2026-02-25 15d Lingfield (AW) 8f Standard 6 1/8 0 Luke Morris b 135 49 53 48 15/8
Flat AW Read Meg Nicholls' Blog At betmgm.co.uk Classified Stakes Took keen hold - prominent - led going easily 2f out - pushed along over 1f out - ridden final 110yds - reduced lead towards finish - always doing enough(op 2/1)
2026-02-10 11d Lingfield (AW) 8f Standard 6 2/7 0.3 Luke Morris b 135 49 54 21 6/4
Flat AW Read Meg Nicholls' Blog At betmgm.co.uk Classified Stakes (Div I) Took keen hold - prominent - pressed leader from 2f out - led over 1f out - kept on but headed towards finish
2026-01-30 16d Wolverhampton (AW) 8.5f Standard 6 1/10 0 Luke Morris b 135 48 54 39 9/2
Flat AW BetMGM Supports Safer Gambling Classified Stakes (Div II) Took keen hold - prominent - led over 2f out - faced challenge final 110yds - kept on well(op 11/2)
2026-01-14 12d Kempton (AW) 8f Standard 6 6/11 0.3 Edward Greatrex v 129 49 43 38 11/2
Flat AW Get Daily Price Boosts At Unibet Handicap Prominent - led over 2f out - headed over 1f out - weakened inside final furlong(op 7/1)
2026-01-02 25d Chelmsford (AW) 8f Standard 6 8/9 1 Darragh Keenan v 126 51 44 23 12/1
Flat AW Chelmsford Mile Series Qualifying Handicap (Chelmsford Mile Series Qualifier) Led - headed over 1f out - soon weakened(op 16/1)
2025-12-08 11d Lingfield (AW) 8f Standard 6 4/11 1 Rossa Ryan v 132 52 54 44 7/2
Flat AW Always Gamble Responsibly At BetMGM Handicap (Div II) Led early - headed and prominent after 2f - no extra inside final 110yds (jockey said gelding hung left-handed)(op 10/3 tchd 4/1)
2025-11-27 7d Chelmsford (AW) 8f Standard 6 2/8 2 Edward Greatrex b 127 52 56 29 9/2
Flat AW Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Led - headed and no extra inside final furlong(op 6/1)
2025-11-20 28d Southwell (AW) 8f Standard 6 7/13 4 P J McDonald b 127 52 46 34 15/2
Flat AW Set Deposit Limits At BetMGM Handicap (Div II) Took keen hold - prominent - lost ground when bumped over 1f out - weakened inside final furlong(op 8/1)
2025-10-23 16d Chelmsford (AW) 8f Standard 6 2/12 7.5 Daniel Muscutt b 133 52 53 39 11/1
Flat AW Betfair Safer Gambling Tools Handicap In touch with leaders - prominent over 1f out - kept on inside final furlong - no match for winner(op 16/1 tchd 9/1 and tchd 18/1)
2025-10-07 20d Brighton 10f Soft 6 10/10 12 Jack Doughty v 135 53 55 9/2
Flat Turf JenningsBet In Bracknell Handicap Prominent - lost ground quickly 2f out - soon weakened - tailed off(op 5/1)
2025-09-17 8d Beverley 8.5f Soft 6 7/12 3.5 Luke Morris b 135 54 40 26 5/1
Flat Turf Westwood Handicap Prominent - weakened over 1f out (trainer could offer no explanation for the poor form shown other than commenting that gelding appeared not to finish his race off on this occasion which could have been attributable to the soft - heavy in places going on a stiff track; vet said gelding had lost both his left-fore and left-hind shoes and had a small wound to his left-hind heel)(op 11/2 tchd 9/2)
2025-09-09 30d Ffos Las 7.5f Heavy 6 3/6 0.5 Edward Greatrex b 128 54 52 36 11/2
Flat Turf 3A's Motorhomes Handicap Taken down early - towards rear - headway from over 2f out - stayed on inside final furlong (jockey said gelding was never travelling)(op 9/2 tchd 4/1)
2025-08-10 15d Leicester 10f Firm 6 10/12 1.25 Daniel Tudhope b 135 55 26 20 11/1
Flat Turf Red Lion Burbage Handicap Took keen hold - prominent - weakened from over 1f out (trainer said - regarding the poor form shown - that gelding failed to stay the 1m2f trip on this occasion; vet had nothing to report)(op 17/2)
2025-07-26 15d Salisbury 8f Firm 6 1/10 0 Edward Greatrex b 129 46 60 50 10/1
Flat Turf Symonds Event Catering Handicap Prominent - lost ground over 6f out - switched left 2f out - headway and ridden when led over 1f out - kept on well and went clear final 110yds - comfortably (trainer said - regarding the apparent improvement in form - that gelding may have benefitted from the first-time application of blinkers on this occasion; gelding was routine tested)(op 11/1 tchd 17/2)
2025-07-11 29d Chepstow 8f Firm 6 12/13 5 William Cox p 126 46 19 13 20/1
Flat Turf betwright.com Bangers N'Cash Handicap (Chepstow Series Qualifier) Prominent - ridden and weakened over 1f out(op 25/1 tchd 14/1)
2025-06-12 33d Nottingham 10f Good 6 7/9 20 P J McDonald p 126 46 41 9/1
Flat Turf PricedUp.Bet Boosts Handicap Prominent - chased clear leader after 4f - lost position 2f out - weakened over 1f out - tailed off(tchd 11/1)
2025-05-10 10d Leicester 10f Firm 6 8/9 4 Darragh Keenan p 127 47 26 40 13/2
Flat King Power Raceday 26th May Book Now Handicap
2025-04-30 18d Pontefract 8f Good 6 4/11 0.2 P J McDonald p 127 47 50 27 6/1
Flat Trustees Of The National Horseracing College Handicap
2025-04-12 170d Nottingham 8.5f Good 6 7/11 2.5 Cian Horgan p 124 48 42 20 16/1
Flat Conference And Events At Nottingham Racecourse Handicap
2024-10-24 21d Nottingham 10f Soft 6 5/6 2.5 Darragh Keenan p 123 48 34 5/1
Flat Turf Join Us Next Raceday 30th October Handicap Raced in second - disputed lead after 3f - weakened inside final furlong(op 9/2 tchd 4/1)
2024-10-03 16d Chelmsford (AW) 10f Standard 6 1/15 0 Joe Leavy p 119 46 53 27 15/2
Flat AW Betfair Exchange Selling Handicap Prominent - ridden and led over 1f out - jockey dropped rein 1f out - kept on - all out(op 20/1 tchd 7/1)
2024-09-17 15d Brighton 10f Good 6 8/11 7 Darragh Keenan p 122 47 22 9/1
Flat Turf Thank You Anne Duchess Of Westminster Handicap Took keen hold - prominent - in touch with leaders after 2f - headway over 3f out - weakened over 1f out(op 12/1)
2024-09-02 22d Chepstow 8f Good 6 5/7 7 William Cox p 125 48 11 9/2
Flat Turf AK Bets Chat To A Trader Handicap Prominent - lost position after 2f - dropped to rear over 3f out - weakened over 2f out(op 5/1 tchd 11/2)
2024-08-11 18d Leicester 10f Firm 6 2/8 0.05 William Cox p 119 47 53 5/1
Flat Turf Best Ticket Deals Online At leicester-racecourse.co.uk Handicap Raced in second - led 3f out - ridden over 2f out - faced challenges over 1f out - headed and lost position inside final furlong - rallied inside final 110yds - keeping on when bumped towards finish - just failed(op 11/2 tchd 9/2)
2024-07-24 18d Leicester 8f Firm 6 1/9 0 Darragh Keenan p 126 46 52 39 4/1
Flat Turf Reddington Homes Handicap Prominent on outer - pressed leader over 4f out - led narrowly 3f out - ridden over 1f out - kept on towards finish - gamely(op 5/1)
2024-07-06 25d Leicester 10f Good 6 4/11 1.25 William Cox p 119 46 46 19 10/1
Flat Turf Mercer Handicap In touch with leaders - outpaced 3f out - rallied over 1f out - no extra towards finish(op 14/1)

Record by layoff

Days since the previous run. Does this one go well fresh, or need a run? Career debut excluded — no prior run means no layoff.
Time since last runRunsWinsSR
Quick (under 2wk)900.0%
Normal (2-4wk)21523.8%
Freshened (1-2m)300.0%
Layoff (2-6m)400.0%

Record by class

ClassRunsWinsSR
Class 4300.0%
Class 635514.3%

Record by distance

TripRunsWinsSR
Mile (7-9f)27414.8%
Middle (10-12f)10110.0%

Record by going

GoingRunsWinsSR
Standard16318.8%
Firm7228.6%
Soft700.0%
Good700.0%

Record by course

CourseRunsWinsSR
Chelmsford (AW)6116.7%
Leicester5120.0%
Wolverhampton (AW)4125.0%
Nottingham300.0%
Lingfield (AW)3133.3%

We score First Encounter (GB) against the whole field — every time it runs

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Data: official UK & Irish results, 2023-06-07–2026-07-07. Historical and not a guarantee of future results. 18+ · BeGambleAware.