The recent form makes for uncomfortable reading. In its last six races, the best it has managed is a fifth-place finish, surrounded by results of eighth, ninth, tenth, tenth, and eleventh. These are the kinds of numbers that suggest the horse is running its race — it's turning up, it's trying — but the competition is simply too good, even at Class 6, which is the lowest tier of racing in Britain. Almavillalobas has run five times at that level without winning once. That is a sobering statistic when you consider that Class 6 is specifically designed to give horses like this a chance.
The yard behind the horse, run by Jim and Suzi Best out of Lewes in East Sussex, has sent out 13 winners this season, so there is clearly talent in the operation. The team knows how to win races. Finding the right opportunity for Almavillalobas, though, remains the puzzle. The horse raced just one day ago, so it is clearly being kept busy — sometimes running a horse frequently is a sign that a trainer is hunting for conditions that might finally unlock something. Whether that opportunity arrives is the question.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lingfield Park Sharp |
2 | 2 other | 12 Feb | 0% |
| chelmsford | 2 | 2 other | 11 Sep | 0% |
| Brighton Undulating |
2 | 2 other | 29 May | 0% |
| Kempton Park Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 16 Oct | 0% |
| Wolverhampton Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 26 Oct | 0% |
| Windsor Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 7 May | 0% |