The Notebook

Beat the clock, not the result · 28 horses to follow

The result page tells you who won. This tells you who ran the fastest. Every day our engine takes the figure each horse earned and finds the runners who posted the best figure in their race but didn't win — beaten by a bad run of the race, the draw, or a head on the line. On the clock they were the best horse in the race. They're the ones to mark down and follow next time. It's information, not tips.

Does it work? — every noted horse, scored next time out

Group

Won next time

Placed next time

Notebook horses

18.2%

47.7%

The average beaten horse

15.0%

42.5%

Over 2913 runs since 2026-03-18, horses noted here won 18.2% and placed 47.7% next time out — well clear of the 15.0% / 42.5% an average also-ran manages. It's a watch-list, not a betting system: they win more often than the field expects, but always make your own call on the price.

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Thursday 16 July 2026

Booziebrunch (IRE) Epsom · finished 2nd of 4 · returned 5/2

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win

“Led - increased tempo over 3f out - headed over 1f out - weakened gradually final furlong(op 10/3)”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our #2 pre-race

Straight Ahead (GB) Thirsk · finished 2nd of 9 · returned 3/1

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win — hung / idled late

“Towards rear - hung left when headway over 1f out - pressed winner inside final 110yds - just held(op 11/4)”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our top pick pre-race too

Aviatrice (IRE) Leopardstown · finished 2nd of 6 · returned 3/1

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win

“In touch with leaders - prominent 2f out - went second over 1f out - kept on well final 110yds(tchd 10/3)”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our top pick pre-race too

Thank You Blue (GB) Worcester · finished 2nd of 6 · returned 4/1

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win

“Prominent - disputed lead 4 out - raced in second from 2 out - kept on run-in(op 6/1)”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our top pick pre-race too

Savannah Smiles (IRE) Chepstow · finished 2nd of 4 · returned 6/4

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win — slowly away

“Blindfold off late - slowly away - raced in last - headway 2f out - went second 1f out - no extra towards finish (jockey said mare was slowly away)(op 7/4 tchd 15/8)”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our top pick pre-race too

Ob La Di (IRE) Leopardstown · finished 2nd of 6 · returned 4/1

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win — given too much to do

“Held up in rear - headway under 2f out - chased clear leader 1f out - kept on well towards finish(tchd 9/2)”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our #2 pre-race

Wednesday 15 July 2026

Golden Circet (IRE) Uttoxeter · finished 2nd of 12 · returned 3/1

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win

“Raced in touch with the front runners - driven 3 out - up to second 2 out under pressure - responded to the finish but never got on terms with the winner to finish second”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our top pick pre-race too

Tricky Jenny (GB) Bath · finished 2nd of 7 · returned 6/1

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win

“travelled in a forward position - hit the front towards halfway - driven over 1f out - driven again inside the final furlong - flat out when caught and just beaten on the line”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our top pick pre-race too

Aberama Gold (GB) Catterick · finished 2nd of 8 · returned 7/2

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win

“Up with the pace - driven to the front with a furlong left - continued well but overtaken near the finish”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our top pick pre-race too

Ron's Angel (GB) Lingfield · finished 2nd of 5 · returned 6/4

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win

“Settled handy early and drifted left while improving two furlongs out - driven into second and challenged the winner in the final furlong - narrowly beaten close home”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our top pick pre-race too

Cello Sonata (GB) Killarney · finished 2nd of 9 · returned 2/1

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win — met trouble in running

“set the pace - margin cut to a length by halfway - shaken up with 3f to run - driven with 2f to run - overtaken with 1f to run then ran on but was narrowly denied near the finish”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race

London Is Blue (GB) Yarmouth · finished 2nd of 4 · returned 7/2

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win

“was sluggish leaving the stalls - showed eagerness to close on the front-runners 3f out and was travelling strongly over 2f out - went to the front 2f out - was asked for effort over 1f out - overtaken inside the final furlong but battled on to finish second”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race

Tuesday 14 July 2026

Tribal Star (IRE) Killarney · finished 2nd of 7 · returned 5/1

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win — given too much to do

“sat in behind early - 4th at halfway - nudged into 2nd approaching 2f out - driven to challenge the winner inside the final two furlongs - held the runner-up spot without finding another gear”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our top pick pre-race too

Sunny South West (IRE) Killarney · finished 2nd of 12 · returned 2/1

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win

“Prominent - led under 2f out - soon faced challenge - clear with one other inside final furlong - headed towards finish(op 9/4 tchd 11/4)”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our top pick pre-race too

Musical Soldier (IRE) Leicester · finished 2nd of 6 · returned 7/2

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win — hung / idled late

“raced up with the pace before going on 2f out - stayed on over 1f out - edged right as the margin shrank inside the final 110yds - passed close home”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our #2 pre-race

Our Fella (IRE) Ffos Las · finished 2nd of 5 · returned 7/2

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win — met trouble in running

“Travelled in a forward position - was mildly hampered and asked for effort to close on the front-runner approaching two furlongs out - continued under pressure but had nothing more inside the final furlong”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our #2 pre-race

Wilbur (GB) Wolverhampton · finished 2nd of 12 · returned evens

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win

“up with the front pair - pushed along over 2f out - stayed on to challenge the winner inside the final 110 yards but unable to get there by the line”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our top pick pre-race too

It's Debatable (IRE) Beverley · finished 2nd of 4 · returned 7/4

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win

“in touch with the pacesetter early - driven along from 2f out - set up a prolonged fight from 1f out - stayed on strongly inside the final furlong but unable to get to grips with the winner”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our top pick pre-race too

Monday 13 July 2026

Cristo (GB) Windsor · finished 2nd of 8 · returned 2/1

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win

“pulled hard early while towards the centre of the field - made progress over 4f out - moved left over 2f out - went upsides and veered left inside final furlong - soon in front - overtaken towards finish”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our top pick pre-race too

Lord Ragnar (IRE) Lingfield · finished 2nd of 5 · returned 5/2

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win — headed close home

“Drifted right from the stalls - hit the front early - was niggled along over 1f out - opened up an advantage over the rest inside the final furlong - saw the margin cut and was caught close home”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our top pick pre-race too

Note To Self (GB) Windsor · finished 2nd of 9 · returned 4/1

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win

“settled handy - made progress over 2f out - went to the front over 1f out - driven and drifting left before being overtaken on the line”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our top pick pre-race too

Zaltalla (FR) Lingfield · finished 2nd of 9 · returned 4/1

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win — met trouble in running

“raced in the pack - driven and made ground 2f out - ran on strongly inside the final furlong but denied close home”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race

Mithaaly (GB) Windsor · finished 2nd of 12 · returned 8/1

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win

“up with the pace - driven on the outer over 2f out - found nothing extra over 1f out - moved left and responded strongly inside final furlong - up to second near the line without getting on terms with the winner”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race

Nutcracker (GB) Lingfield · finished 2nd of 10 · returned 2/1

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win — met trouble in running

“tracked the pace - driven approaching the last - ran on strongly but narrowly denied”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race

Sunday 12 July 2026

Rosenborg (FR) Sligo · finished 2nd of 12 · returned 10/1

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win

“sharing the front early - knocked sideways 3rd - back in front after 3 out - driven along after 2 out - closely challenged and stumbled at the last - lost the front up the run-in but stayed on at one level”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our #2 pre-race

Person Of Interest (IRE) Stratford · finished 2nd of 7 · returned 5/6

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win

“up with the pace - hit the front 2 out - going easily until a serious blunder at the last - soon overtaken - pursued the winner in the run-in but found nothing more close home”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our top pick pre-race too

Secret Trix (GB) Perth · finished 2nd of 7 · returned 5/2

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win — hung / idled late

“settled towards the back - advanced into fourth by the 7th - asked for effort before 2 out and stayed on but edged right run-in - unable to challenge the winner beaten two and three-quarter lengths in second”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our #2 pre-race

Tiny Riot (IRE) Stratford · finished 2nd of 4 · returned 5/6

Ran the best figure in the race but didn't win

“made the running - dictated a fast gallop - drifted off a true line before the 4th - stumbled after jumping the last - overtaken in the run-in but responded once more to stay on towards the finish”

Beat the clock — best figure in the race Our top pick pre-race too

How it's built: after every meeting we take the Racing Post Rating each runner earned that day and rank the field on the clock. A horse makes the Notebook when it didn't win but ran the best (or second-best) figure in the race — it was the fastest horse, beaten by the run of the race rather than ability. The in-running comment below each horse explains why it didn't win, but it's the figure that earns the place — we tested it, and the visible "unlucky" horses everyone spots are the ones the market over-bets next time; the value is in the quiet figure. No market data, no tips. See the live Race Intelligence for today's cards.