Call Me By My Name

The level at which this horse competes changes the picture considerably. Four of its 12 races have come in Class 2 — some of the best races in Britain — and it has held its own without winning any of them. That is a tough ask for a three-year-old still finding its feet. Being sent out at that level suggests the trainer sees something worth testing, even if the results have not yet reflected it.

Recent form tells a slightly mixed story. The last six runs, reading from most recent to oldest, show finishes of 9th, 8th, 8th, 4th, 4th, and 3rd. The horse was placed just once in that sequence and has slipped back a little after two decent fourth-place efforts in the middle of the run. Ninth and eighth two races in a row is not what anyone wants to see, and with a race run just yesterday, there is no hiding from the fact that form is currently pointing in the wrong direction.

Trainer Steph Hollinshead operates out of Upper Longdon in Staffordshire and has sent out six winners this season — a yard that is clearly capable of getting horses to the line first. Whether Call Me By My Name can be the next one to add to that tally remains to be seen. At three years old, there is still time for things to click, but this horse will need to find some improvement soon to justify continued appearances at a high level. Patience is being tested, and the clock is ticking.