Bleu d'Enfer

His two victories came in very different circumstances. The first arrived at Carlisle in April 2025, then nearly eighteen months passed before he broke through again — a win at Uttoxeter this week shows he can still get the job done. Trainer Donald McCain, who acquired him at the sales and has built a yard sending out 55 winners this season, sees Bleu d'Enfer as a Saturday afternoon chaser in the middle-distance and staying races. McCain had watched him race elsewhere before buying him and liked what he saw. There is talk of ambitious targets, though he may need a few more runs to prove he is ready for them.

The frustration with Bleu d'Enfer has been his inconsistency in recent form. His last six races show he has finished in the top 3 four times but also produced a run as poor as ninth place two outings back. His partnership with regular rider Daryl Jacob has not yielded a win from eight races together, and that lack of sparkle is telling — sometimes a horse and jockey simply do not click. But with the right ground underfoot and the right distance, he has shown enough to suggest he will continue to earn his place in McCain's team. A Saturday handicap chaser with brief moments of promise: that sums up Bleu d'Enfer.