Aimeric

Those wins have not come in small races. Aimeric has won two Class 2 races — among the better prizes available outside the very top tier — at Beverley in September 2023 and at Lingfield Park in May 2024. That Lingfield win is his most recent, and it came with a note of caution attached. Jockey James Doyle reported afterwards that the horse doesn't like getting to the front too soon — he prefers a target to chase — and that the quirky downhill finish at Lingfield nearly got away from them. "He is what he is," Doyle said, which is honest racing talk for a horse who needs handling just right. The quicker the ground, the better he goes. When a thunderstorm turned the track soft before a run at Newmarket, the conditions simply ruined his chance. He is not a horse for mud.

The partnership with Jack Mitchell is worth noting. In six races together, Mitchell has ridden him to three wins — that is winning half the time, which is a remarkable ratio at this level and suggests the two have found a real understanding. Candlish herself was measured when asked about ambitions in April 2024, saying she hoped to place him well enough to win a race or two over summer. She knows her horse. The yard has sent out 60 winners this season, so this is an active, confident operation, and they clearly know how to find the right opportunities.

The one puzzle in Aimeric's record is his form at the very highest level. In eight races at Class 1 — the top shelf of British racing — he has not won once. He races there regularly, which tells you he is considered good enough to take his chance, but the step up in class has so far been just beyond him. He has not won in his last six races either, though two second-place finishes in that run suggest he is competitive rather than fading. With fast ground arriving and a trainer who knows exactly where to place him, another win feels possible.