Al Aasy

Al Aasy's consistency owes much to his partnership with jockey Jim Crowley, who has ridden him 14 times with six wins between them—a win rate of roughly 43 per cent. The horse is trained by William Haggas at Newmarket, a yard that has already sent out 170 winners this season. Perhaps most intriguingly, Al Aasy has become something of a course specialist at Goodwood, where he has won 2 of his 3 races there. He also shows a marked preference for slightly soft ground, winning two of three races on such surfaces, which suggests he will perform best in autumn and winter when British tracks are wetter and muddier.

His recent form tells the story of an older horse still capable of winning at the highest level but no longer consistent week to week. In his last six races he has finished first, third, first, second, ninth and fifth—flashes of brilliance interspersed with the occasional dull day. Yet the fact that he won just a week ago and continues to race at Class 1 level speaks to a horse who has earned genuine respect. At nine years old, most horses are retired; Al Aasy is still fighting it out with the best.