Clever Relation

What makes him interesting is where those wins come from. Over the middle distances that suit him best—races between 1 mile 3 furlongs and 1 mile 4 furlongs—Clever Relation has won 2 from 4 races, a 50 per cent record that stands out sharply against his overall form. Put him in those distances and he is a genuine contender. Stretch him beyond that or shorten the trip, and he struggles. Trainer Christian Williams, based in Glamorgan, knows the bloodlines intimately: Clever Relation's dam, Sweet Selection, won the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes under Williams's care, a significant achievement that suggests quality runs in the family.

The horse had injury troubles early in his career—Williams put him away for a period rather than run him through pain—which may explain why he did not race until his debut at three years old. Since then, his recent form has been patchy. He has not won in his last six races, with two second-place finishes sandwiched around some mid-field efforts. He remains entirely winless at Class 4 level, the grade at which he now typically competes, which suggests he may be pitched slightly too high. At lower grades and over his pet distance, however, there is still a horse capable of finding the winner's enclosure. Williams's yard has been sending winners out regularly this season, and with Clever Relation still active—he raced just days ago—there remains time for another breakthrough.