Daring Legend

What makes Daring Legend worth watching is his connection with jockey Alistair Rawlinson. Together they have won two of seven races, a 29% win rate that towers above the horse's career average. That kind of partnership — where one rider simply gets the best out of a horse — can be the difference between a also-ran and a consistent earner. Trainer Mark Pattinson, based at Epsom, has brought the horse along carefully. Most of Daring Legend's racing has come in Class 4 company, where he has won twice from 21 races, and the strategy appears sound: this is a horse still learning his trade rather than one overreaching.

The concern is the recent form. Daring Legend has not won in his last six races, with only one second place and a fifth among those runs, finishing well out of the placings in three others. He raced just a day ago, so the yard is keeping him active, but a year between wins is a long time for a five-year-old. Whether he can rediscover the form that brought success at Newmarket will likely depend on getting him back onto the kind of ground he loves. On fast, dry surfaces or soft, muddy going, he struggles. Get him on normal ground with Rawlinson in the saddle, and he becomes a different horse entirely.