Del Corso

Nottingham has become his happy hunting ground. He has won 2 of his 4 races there, most recently on 3 August when he scored his second victory at the course. That win came six weeks ago, and Del Corso has since managed two places and a fourth in three outings, suggesting he may be in need of those ideal conditions — fast ground and the right distance — to get back to winning ways. His last six races show flashes of form: a win, a place, another place, a first prize, and then more recently a place and a fourth, a pattern that hints at inconsistency but also at a horse that is capable of better days.

Trained by Ed Walker at Upper Lambourn in Berkshire, Del Corso runs for a yard that has been prolific this season with 76 winners already sent out. Walker clearly has the formula for getting the best from his horses, and for Del Corso, the message is clear: get him on fast ground, point him at his favourite track, and run him over his preferred distance. When those three factors align, he becomes a different proposition altogether.