Aulis

The record of 1 win and 9 places is actually more interesting than it first appears. Aulis has been out of the top two just three times in 13 races, which means it is consistently competitive — it just rarely finds that extra gear at the finish. Think of it as a horse that turns up, does its job, but hasn't yet figured out how to close the deal. At the longer distances, between a mile and six furlongs and two miles, the numbers improve slightly: one win from six races at those trips, which works out at roughly 1 in every 6 — better than its overall rate of 1 in 13.

Trainer Tina Jackson has sent out nine winners this season, so the yard is in decent form, and Aulis raced just yesterday, meaning it is very much in active campaigning mode. Most of those recent runs have been at Class 5 level — the entry-level tier of British racing — where Aulis has won 1 from 7, or roughly 1 in every 7 attempts. That is not a sparkling return at the easiest grade available, which puts into perspective how hard that Southwell win was to come by.

Regular jockey Rob Hornby has partnered Aulis five times without getting to the winner's enclosure together, though that is not necessarily a reflection on either horse or rider given how tight the margins often are with a horse like this. The recent form reads 6-4-2-1-2-2 — that second place last time and a win tucked in there four runs back suggests Aulis is in one of its better patches. Whether it can finally add a second career win is the question worth watching.