Bird Of War

What stands out is Bird Of War's clear preference for races at around one mile one furlong to one mile two furlongs. Over that distance, it has won one of four races, a 25 per cent win rate that suggests this is where the horse competes at its sharpest. Recent form has been uneven — there was a second-place finish nine months ago at Newcastle, followed by a scattered run of results that includes a third, a fourth, a fifth, an eighth, and a sixth — but the fact that it produced places as recently as last week shows it remains competitive.

Charles Hills trains Bird Of War from his Lambourn yard in Berkshire, a stable that has saddled 29 winners already this season. Hills is an experienced handler, and the fact that Bird Of War is still in regular work and raced just days ago suggests the trainer has not given up on the horse. For a three-year-old with one win to its name, there is still time for improvement, but the inconsistency in form means the next few races will be telling. If the horse can recapture that winning formula at the right distance and right track, it could yet develop into something worth watching.