Dartrey

The overall numbers back up what the Southwell record hints at. Nine races, three wins, three places — that's a win rate of 33%, or roughly one win in every three races. For a young horse still finding its feet in competitive sport, that is a very healthy return. Most horses at this level win far less often. Add in the three placed finishes and Dartrey has finished in the first three in two-thirds of all its races, which means it is almost never running badly.

Recent form tells an interesting story too. The last six runs read 8-12-4-1-1-1 — three wins in a row before two poor runs. It's worth noting the most recent race was only yesterday, so we're seeing a horse that is currently active and racing regularly. Whether those last two results represent a blip or something more meaningful is the question the team at Ralph Beckett's yard in Kimpton will be asking. Beckett is one of the most productive trainers in Britain right now — 107 winners already this season — so Dartrey is in very capable hands.

The horse also has a clear preference for normal ground conditions, winning three of four races on a standard surface. That 75% win rate — three wins from four chances — is a strong signal. When conditions suit, Dartrey delivers. Edward Greatrex, who has ridden the horse in five of its nine races and won two of them, knows this horse well, and that kind of settled partnership often matters more than people realise.

Still only three years old and with a perfect record at its favourite track, Dartrey is exactly the kind of horse worth keeping an eye on when the Southwell entries come around.