Alex The Great

What stands out, though, is his partnership with jockey Jack Doughty. Together they have won three of 11 races, a win rate of roughly one in every three or four—sharply better than the horse's overall form. That kind of difference often points to a good fit between rider and horse, something that matters more than people outside racing realise. Doughty seems to know how to get the best out of him. The horse runs for trainer Tony Carroll, whose Cropthorne yard in Worcestershire has been prolific this season with 136 winners. That suggests a well-organised operation, though Alex The Great himself remains a mid-field performer in the stable's ranks. At six years old and without a win in so long, he is running out of time to rediscover his form, but as long as he keeps racing and Doughty is in the saddle, there is a chance he could surprise again.