Big Bard

His last victory came at Kempton Park in late January, and nothing has clicked since. Over his past six races he has finished nowhere near the front — his best effort a sixth place — which suggests either a dip in form or that he is running into stiffer competition. Trained by Gary and Josh Moore at their Lower Beeding yard in West Sussex, a operation that has produced 99 winners this season, Big Bard typically races in Class 6 company, where he has won 8 of his 37 starts. Tom Queally, his most frequent rider, has partnered him nine times but recorded just one win together, implying that the horse does not necessarily need a particular jockey to perform. Big Bard was back in action just a day ago, so the yard are keeping him active and hunting for the next winning opportunity. With his liking for soft ground and a resume that shows he knows how to win at this level, a wet-weather fixture could be exactly what revives him.