Cogital

The horse clearly has a soft spot for Newton Abbot. He won there on his debut in April 2022, and has returned to the same track to win again as recently as three months ago—the last outing where he found the line first. When conditions suit him—normal, everyday ground—Cogital really perks up, winning nearly one in three races (5 from 16) on that surface. Shift him onto wet or heavy ground, or fast, firm turf, and he becomes a different proposition entirely, much less effective and harder to fancy.

Trainer Bernard Llewellyn's yard at Fochriw, in Mid Glamorgan, has been sending out a productive season with a dozen winners to date, and Cogital remains a regular in the string. Jockey Jordan Williams has partnered the horse ten times, winning twice—a 20 percent win rate that's noticeably better than the horse's overall form, suggesting they work well together. Over his last six races, Cogital has shown mixed form: an eighth place last time out, followed by a placings and some disappointments, but nothing disastrous. At his age and level, consistency matters as much as brilliance, and Cogital delivers that year after year.