Criminal

Fergal O'Brien's Withington yard has been prolific this season with ninety winners to its name, but Criminal has not contributed to that tally. The horse has been saddled for three attempts at Class 4 level—the top tier of British racing—and has failed to trouble the judge in any of them. Finley Marsh, the jockey who has ridden Criminal most often, has partnered the horse eight times without tasting victory either. Neither rider nor trainer appears to have found the key yet, though the consistency of second and third-place finishes suggests Criminal is competitive enough in the races it contests. Sometimes a horse simply needs one thing to fall into place—a clear run, the perfect ground, the right moment—to finally get its head in front. For now, Criminal remains a horse that keeps coming close but has not quite managed to deliver.