Dunkerque

What makes Dunkerque particularly interesting is his obvious preference for normal ground conditions. On fast, dry surfaces, he has won five of his ten races — a 50% win rate that stands out sharply from the norm. This tells you something real about how he prefers to run: he likes a track he can get a firm grip on, and conditions that suit his racing style. His jockey Sean Quinlan, who has ridden him five times, has won twice aboard him, a 40% win rate that suggests a strong working partnership. When Quinlan spoke after one recent race, he described a horse whose jumping improved as the race went on, and whose finishing kick came at exactly the moment it mattered — the mark of a horse with genuine race intelligence.

Dunkerque is Danish-bred, which is genuinely unusual in British racing, and arrived in Candlish's yard from trainer Gavin Cromwell in Ireland. The horse has shown considerable speed throughout his career, and there is a sense from the yard that he is still developing as a racer. With recent form this good and a clear liking for the right ground, Dunkerque looks well worth following.