Anniversary

The pattern in his results reveals something more encouraging. Anniversary genuinely loves distance. When he runs at 2 miles or longer, he wins 1 in every 3 races—significantly better than his overall record. He also thrives on normal ground; move him onto fast, dry conditions and his record tumbles, but stick him on standard turf and he wins 2 in every 5 races, which is genuinely solid. His recent form does him no favours on paper—his last six races read 1-5-7-2-5-5, mostly mid-field finishes—but that first-place finish last week showed he is still competitive. The question now is whether he can build on it or if it was simply one good day.

Trained by Philip Hobbs and Johnson White from their Somerset base, Anniversary runs for a yard that has had a productive season, sending out thirty-seven winners already. He typically competes at the highest level—Class 2 and above—which explains his win rate. He is swimming in deeper water than some horses. Class 2 races bring together better animals, and his zero wins from four attempts at that level shows he can struggle against top-tier opposition. Where he looks most comfortable is middle-ranking company over distance on normal going—and that is exactly where his week-old win came from.