Come On John, a six-year-old Kodiac gelding, is a five-time winner and trained by James Owen in Newmarket. 

A £20,000 breeze-up purchase, Come On John was unraced at two but quickly made up for lost time as a three-year-old. After gaining initial experience in maiden and novice company, he was beaten a short-head in a 1m Redcar handicap on just his second start in that sphere. 

He was turned out again at Thirsk just a week later and careered away to win by three lengths, despite being harried by a loose horse at a crucial stage. He was raised 8lb to a mark of 73 for that success and continued to run well for most of the 2022 season, changing yards shortly before Christmas that year. 

Despite initially enduring a lean spell for new connections, Come On John capitalised on a declining handicap rating to win a 1m½f handicap at Wolverhampton in May of 2023 and then struck again over 1m2f at Brighton just over a fortnight later. A spell in the doldrums from higher marks would follow, but he was back in the winner’s enclosure at Wolverhampton (1m1½f) in November of the same year. 

That proved to be Come On John’s last success before joining the Deva Racing team and trainer James Owen. Sourced at the Tattersalls Online August Sale in the summer of last year, we knew that he would be a reliable operator for us on the all-weather in the winter.

He was fourth on his Deva debut at Wolverhampton in October and then successfully stepped up to 1m3f to win at Southwell before the month was out. Third at Wolverhampton on his next appearance, Come On John was unlucky enough to finish second in four consecutive races over the Christmas and New Year period, twice losing out in photo-finishes, but was earning valuable prizemoney at the same time.

Rated in the mid-70s at his peak, his current mark of 55 is still extremely reasonable, and there will be plentiful opportunities in the future. He is equally adept on either turf or all-weather, has demonstrated strong form at 1m to 1m4f, and has a rare streak of consistency.

Come On John has done us proud in the relatively short period that he has been carrying the Deva Racing silks, and we look forward to more victories in 2025.