Bay City Roller

The real story here is the distance sweet spot. At distances between seven furlongs and a mile, Bay City Roller is unbeaten: three wins from three races at that trip. That is a genuine strength to build a campaign around, and it explains why the yard keeps coming back to it. The partnership with jockey Callum Shepherd has also clicked: they have combined for three wins from five races together, a 60% win rate that suggests the rider knows exactly how to get the best from this horse.

Recent form tells you this is a horse on an upward curve. In the last six races, Bay City Roller won twice, finished second twice, and had a third — consistency without complacency. The most impressive moment came in September when the horse won a Class 1 race at Doncaster, one of the top-tier tests in British racing. That said, stepping up into Class 1 company has been tougher: only one win from three attempts at that level, so there is a ceiling to where this horse can go. Still, a debut winner at Sandown Park in late July who is now mixing it with the best just a few months later shows a horse with genuine ability and the temperament to handle proper racing.