Celtic Chariot

That team is Kevin and Lauren Frost, training out of Averham Park in Nottinghamshire. It is a yard that has sent out three winners already this season, and Celtic Chariot accounts for one of them. Small yards punching at their weight tend to be selective about where and when they run their horses, so when the Frosts point Celtic Chariot at a race, it is worth taking notice.

The most telling number in Celtic Chariot's record is this: over seven furlongs to a mile — its preferred trip — it has won one from three races, a win rate of 33%. That means it wins roughly one in every three times it races at the right distance. Compare that to its overall record of one from five, and the picture becomes clear. Get the distance right, and this horse is a different proposition entirely. The recent form reads 1-4-6-6-3, which shows a horse that has had its struggles but has just produced its best when it mattered most. Whether that Doncaster win marks a turning point or a one-off peak is the interesting question — and with Celtic Chariot having raced only yesterday, the answer may come very soon.