Command The Stars

The bright spell is worth dwelling on. Command The Stars won at Ripon four weeks ago, which means it has raced just once since—finishing sixth last time out a day ago. That single race in a month is unusual timing and might explain the dip in form, or it could simply be how the training schedule has worked out. The horse's first victory came at Beverley on 17 June, and it has won once more since, so there are clearly days when everything clicks.

What really stands out is how fussy this horse is about ground conditions. On fast, dry ground, Command The Stars has won two of three races—a 67 per cent win rate that is genuinely impressive and points to a horse that thrives when the track is firm underfoot. That kind of preference is worth remembering, because it means some of its defeats may have come on softer ground where it simply wasn't at its best. George Scott trains the horse at Newmarket, and the yard has already sent out 52 winners this season, so Command The Stars is in a stable with a clear eye for getting horses to the winners' enclosure. For a 3-year-old still learning the ropes, that combination of proven ability on the right ground and a trainer who knows what he is doing suggests there may be better days ahead.