Al's River

Trained by James Horton at Newmarket, Al's River is part of a yard that has already sent out 20 winners this season, so there is clearly winning form in the stable. For a young horse still learning its trade, two places from seven races is not unusual—plenty of horses need time to find their feet—but the lack of a win so far means Al's River remains one to watch rather than one delivering results yet. The recent third-place finish shows the horse is still competitive enough to feature in the finish, which at least suggests Horton sees enough promise to keep running it. Whether that confidence pays off with a first win in the coming weeks will tell us whether Al's River has the ability to move forward or if it has simply found its level among horses it cannot quite beat.