Boatswain

His most recent win came at Southwell just this week, and it follows his first career victory at Lingfield Park back in January 2025. Two different tracks, a gap of more than a year between wins — it paints the picture of a horse that can be frustrating to follow but is capable of delivering on the right day. His recent form tells a similar story: a win and a third in his last six runs, sandwiched around some quieter efforts where he finished well down the field. He clearly has an on-day and an off-day, and the trick is catching him when the conditions suit.

Where Boatswain has found life tougher is at Class 2 level — the upper tier of British racing, one step below the very biggest occasions. He has run in three of those races and not won any of them, going 0 from 3. That is not shameful; Class 2 fields are competitive and deep, and plenty of decent horses struggle to make a mark there. But it does suggest his sweet spot is one rung below that, where he has shown he can win.

He is trained by Simon and Ed Crisford out of Newmarket, one of the great centres of British racing, and the yard is having a productive season — 78 winners sent out so far. That is a team that knows what it is doing, and with Boatswain having just scored, the confidence around him will be high. The question now is whether he can build on this week's win or whether, as his record hints, the next quiet patch is already around the corner. Either way, he is worth keeping an eye on.