Croupier

The highlight of Croupier's career came at York in May 2023, where he landed a top-tier Class 2 race — one of the better prizes you can win in Britain outside of the headline festivals. His trainer was effusive afterwards, noting how jockey William had settled him just off a strong early pace before the horse kicked clear and, crucially, kept finding more when the challengers came. That is the mark of a genuine competitor rather than a horse who just gets lucky with the draw. The yard had been pointing him toward Royal Ascot's Hunt Cup off the back of it, a race run over a mile at speed in a big field — exactly the kind of contest that suited him.

Where Croupier really comes alive is over a mile and a furlong to a mile and two furlongs. At those distances he has won 2 from 4 races — a 50% win rate, which is exceptional by any measure. That is not a coincidence. It suggests a horse who needs time to warm into a race and finds his best form when he can build momentum over a proper trip rather than sprint from the gate.

The awkward truth is that his last win came 38 months ago. Since that York success he has finished 2nd once among five efforts, with nothing else to shout about — including a run just yesterday. His trainers, the Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith yard at High Eldwick, have been in fine form this season with 42 winners, so the ammunition is there. And it is worth noting that the York quotes included a telling admission: they probably should not have run him on heavy, waterlogged ground at the Lincoln, and he clearly paid for it. A horse who was good enough to win a Class 2 and have Royal Ascot discussed in the same breath deserves a fairer crack than that. Whether he can find that form again at seven is the question worth watching.