Abu Royal

There are small glimmers in his record that suggest he has found a level where he occasionally belongs. In races at Class 5—the lower tiers of British racing—he has won 1 of 12 starts, a better rate than his overall figures. Over distances between 1m1f and 1m2f, where he seems most comfortable, he has managed just 1 win from 15 races (7%), still the best foundation his record offers. His recent six runs show a horse capable of scraping into the placings—he has picked up four places in that stretch—but incapable of breaking back into the winner's circle. That last run, seven days ago, brought a seventh-place finish, his worst result in those recent attempts.

Trainer L J Morgan's yard at Waltham On The Wolds, Leicestershire, has been in decent form this season with 14 winners to their name. Abu Royal has become a regular runner for the yard, testament to either hope that something might yet click or simply the role he plays as a steady, racing proposition. For a horse now 42 months without a win, the story is one of persistence rather than promise—a horse still grinding away at Class 5 level, still showing enough in the occasional placing to keep his trainer sending him out. Whether he will ever find that elusive second win remains an open question.