Clear Above

The recent form figures of 3-3-5-4-3-4 paint a picture of a horse running consistently in the mid-pack, never truly threatening to win but rarely caving completely either. The back-to-back thirds are encouraging in the sense that Clear Above appears to run its race every time — it just hasn't found that extra gear when it matters. Racing just one day ago, this is a horse very much in the thick of its season, and with more opportunities likely to come, the first win remains a realistic ambition rather than a distant dream.

The yard behind Clear Above — Richard and Peter Fahey, operating out of Musley Bank in North Yorkshire — is one of the more active operations in the north of England, and they have already sent out nine winners this season. A trainer with winners on the board tends to know when a horse is close to breaking through, and the fact that Clear Above keeps running suggests the team believes there is more to come. Whether that belief is rewarded soon remains to be seen.