Cuillin Ridge

His recent form offers little encouragement. Over his last six runs, he has managed only one top-3 finish, a fourth place, and a pair of no-shows, suggesting he has not found his feet of late. That sole top-3 in his recent form came just days ago, a small glimmer in what has otherwise been a flat spell since his last win eight months back at Huntingdon.

The partnership with jockey David Bass has been marginally more fruitful than his overall record suggests. The pair have raced together seven times, and Bass has steered him to victory once — a 14% win rate that is nearly double his career average. That narrow edge might suggest Cuillin Ridge runs better for this particular rider, though the sample is small enough that luck plays as much a part as judgment. Trainer Susan Corbett, based at Otterburn in Northumberland, continues to campaign the horse despite the lean returns. His yard has been productive this season, sending out eleven winners, so there remains belief in his team that Cuillin Ridge has more to offer. At Class 5 level, where he has competed most often, he has won once in seven attempts, which is his best fraction at any racing level — a hint, perhaps, that he may be better suited to this lower tier than being asked for more.