Chesterbaylad

The recent form makes for tough reading. Looking at the last six races, the best result is a runner-up finish, but that sits alongside a string of mid-field and towards-the-back efforts, including finishes of 12th and 13th. That kind of inconsistency suggests a horse that has its moments without yet being able to string them together. It raced just one day ago, so it is clearly an active and busy campaigner, which gives the team every opportunity to find the right spot for that breakthrough.

Conor Smithers has been the regular partner, riding Chesterbaylad in five of its races together, but the pair have yet to click in the way the yard would hope — no wins from those five outings. That said, familiarity between horse and jockey does matter, and there is something to be said for a partnership that keeps being put together. The yard clearly believes the combination is worth persisting with.

At this stage, Chesterbaylad is a horse still searching for its level. Three places from fifteen races shows it is not completely out of its depth — it has been competitive enough to finish close — but turning those near-misses into a win is the obvious next step. With racing experience building and an active schedule, the opportunity is there.