Belle Le Grand

What makes Belle Le Grand tick is ground conditions. On normal, standard ground, she has won 4 of 11 races — a 36 percent win rate — which is exceptionally strong form. Soft or muddy ground, though, is a different matter entirely. Her trainer Dan Skelton noted after a recent run at Hexham that she found the wet ground against her and ran well below her best. This is useful intelligence: Belle Le Grand needs decent, fast ground to show what she can do. Through the winter months, when tracks tend to be heavy and waterlogged, she will likely struggle, but come spring — when the ground firms up and better opportunities emerge — she should be back to her winning ways.

Her most recent victory came at Newton Abbot on 6 May, now four months in the past, but her last six races show she remains competitive. She ran fifth and sixth in recent outings before that, and a seventh-place finish, but these come against the backdrop of a yard — Dan Skelton's Alcester operation — that has already sent out 198 winners this season. Belle Le Grand typically races in Class 4 company, where she has won 2 of 6 races. She is an active horse still racing regularly, and with her known affinity for decent ground and her proven ability with Harry Skelton in the saddle, the winter may be quiet, but spring should bring her back into winning contention.