Clever Court

His recent form hints at improvement. In his last six races, he has finished 14th, then 9th, then 7th, then 1st — that sole win — before a pair of unnamed runs that left no placing. The 1st place result eight weeks ago at Bellewstown, the same track where he broke his duck, suggests the course suits him and that he may be capable of returning to the winner's circle if conditions align. What's encouraging is that the runs immediately before his win showed him narrowing the gap: a 7th place followed by 9th, showing he was working his way into contention. Still active and racing only a day ago, Clever Court remains in work and in the calculation.

He runs for trainer P J Rothwell's yard at Tinahely in County Wicklow, which has sent out 35 winners already this season — a solid operation with a track record of getting horses across the line. For a five-year-old with a single win and limited success rate, Clever Court is a horse for patient the yard who understand that not every runner in a yard becomes a star. He may well deliver another winning day, but he will need the right race at the right moment.