Eagle Fang

The real story with Eagle Fang is what he does at distance. Beyond a mile and a half, stretching up to two miles, he's a different proposition altogether — winning two of his four races at that trip, a 50% win rate that stands out sharply against his overall record. William Durkan's yard, based near Dublin, clearly knows this, and it's worth watching whether the horse gets another chance at his favoured distance. His last win came at Killarney three months ago, which suggests form has dipped of late: his recent six races show a mix of nowhere finishes and the occasional place, with just one win in that stretch.

Philip Byrnes, his usual partner, has had one winner from six rides together — slightly above Eagle Fang's average, though the sample is small. Against top-class opposition in Class 1 races, however, the horse has won none of his three starts, which tells you where his ceiling probably sits. He's a solid, honest type who will win races at the right level and on the right ground, but he's unlikely to trouble the very best. Still active as of yesterday, he remains a horse worth following at his best trips and in the races that suit him.