Brodie's Boy

That one win came at Kempton Park in March 2024, over a mile and three to four furlongs — the kind of middle distance that genuinely suits him. It is now 28 months ago, and he has not managed to repeat it in the six races since. His recent form reads 7-4-8-4-3-5, meaning he has had flashes of promise mixed in with some disappointing days, but nothing that has converted into a trip to the winner's enclosure. He raced just yesterday, so the team clearly believe there is still something to work with.

Jockey Marco Ghiani has partnered him six times without a win between them, which makes it a frustrating partnership on paper, though it is worth noting that Ghiani has inherited a horse whose record was already a tough one. Brodie's Boy competes mostly in Class 5 races — the level where you would expect competitive but not elite horses — and even there he has won just 1 from 15, or around 1 in every 15. He places, he competes, but that crucial final push has proven elusive.

His trainer Tony Carroll is based at Cropthorne in Worcestershire and has had a genuinely productive season, sending out 136 winners. Carroll clearly knows how to get horses to win, and the fact that Brodie's Boy remains in active training says something about the yard's patience with him. With 26 races and eight places on the board, this is a horse whose career reads like a long, unresolved argument — talented enough to keep showing up, just not quite enough to close the deal.