Divine Libra

The broader career picture is solid rather than spectacular. Three wins and ten places from 26 races, a win rate of around 1 in every 8 or 9 outings, and a first victory at Catterick Bridge back in April 2023 — enough to confirm a horse of genuine ability, but not one that has yet cracked the top tier. That Class 2 record tells the story plainly: 0 wins from 12 attempts at one of the better levels of British racing. Divine Libra has competed at that level repeatedly, which says the team believe in it, but the breakthrough has not come.

The most recent win came at Chester's May meeting in 2024 — now 26 months ago — and Hills was bullish about the horse's prospects at that point, noting it had won there and then run well enough to be beaten only narrowly at Newmarket. He flagged the Buckingham Palace Stakes as a race that would suit, a prestigious race over seven furlongs, and made clear the horse prefers a bit of moisture in the ground rather than fast, dry conditions. That preference is worth remembering when watching its entries.

Since then, the last six races have brought no wins — finishes of 5, 4, 2, 8, 8, and 5 in that order going back — though that second place shows the talent is still there. The yard has had a productive season with 29 winners, so the operation is in good health. At six years old and raced just yesterday, Divine Libra is a horse in the thick of its career. Whether it can convert Chester form into a result at a higher level remains the interesting question — and one that the team clearly have not given up on yet.