Ata Rangi

Ed Walker, who trains out of Upper Lambourn in Berkshire, has been in excellent form this season — 76 winners and counting — and Ata Rangi fits the profile of a horse who repays patient, careful placing. Walker has been candid that the horse didn't quite build on his first win at Roscommon in October 2024 as quickly as hoped, but the signs now are more encouraging. He won at Haydock Park five weeks ago and has been out again just yesterday, suggesting the team are keeping him busy and in good order.

The numbers tell you exactly where Ata Rangi is most dangerous. On normal ground, he has won 2 of 4 races — half the time, which is a remarkable conversion rate at any level. At seven furlongs to a mile, the picture is equally striking: 3 wins from 6 races, again 50%. Find him those conditions and that trip, and you are looking at a horse who wins half his races. That is not a coincidence — it is a blueprint.

Walker himself has described Ata Rangi as "a really solid horse" who is suited by seven furlongs, and the phrase is well chosen. He is not a superstar — he competes mainly at Class 4, which is mid-tier racing — but at that level on his favoured ground and trip, he is genuinely competitive. His recent form reads 4-1-5-5-7-1, which shows the inconsistency that comes with horses of his type, but also two wins in his last six races. When the pieces fall into place, he delivers.