The most recent form figures tell a mixed story: a fourth and a third suggest Al's River can get competitive, but the horse has also finished as far back as eighth, which points to some inconsistency. That third-place finish is probably the most encouraging thing on the page — it shows the ability is in there somewhere, even if it hasn't translated into a winner's enclosure visit yet.
What works in the horse's favour is the team behind it. Trainer James Horton is based at Newmarket, the heartland of British flat racing, and his yard has sent out 20 winners already this season — a healthy total that suggests this is an operation that knows how to get a horse ready to win. When a competent yard has a horse that hasn't won yet, it doesn't necessarily mean the horse is no good; it can simply mean the right race hasn't come along yet. Al's River raced just yesterday, so clearly the yard — sorry, the team — still believes there's a performance worth chasing.
At three years old, there is still time. Some horses take a while to find their feet, and a yard firing out 20 winners a season is not likely to keep running a horse without reason. Whether Al's River can finally convert a placed effort into a win remains to be seen, but the search continues.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nottingham Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 8 Apr | 0% |
| chelmsford | 1 | 1 third | 6 Nov | 0% |
| Southwell Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 29 Apr | 0% |
| Salisbury Undulating |
1 | 1 other | 2 Oct | 0% |
| Ffos Las Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 4 Jun | 0% |