Everest

The recent form makes for genuinely encouraging reading. His last six races read 2-4-2-7-1-3, with that hard-earned win sitting right in the middle of the sequence. He has not gone cold since, and the fact he raced just one day ago shows he is fit, active, and in the thick of his season right now. His strongest results come at longer distances — between a mile and six furlongs and two miles — where he has won 1 from 7 races (14%). That might not sound like much, but at those trips he is clearly a different animal from the horse who has drawn a blank over shorter distances.

Everest is trained by Gary and Josh Moore at their yard in Lower Beeding, West Sussex, and he is part of a team in seriously good form. Ninety-nine winners already this season is a remarkable output — that is the kind of number that puts a yard among the most productive in the country. Niall Houlihan has partnered him most often, riding him in five of his races without yet getting him into the winner's enclosure, though their most recent outings have included those encouraging placed efforts. The one win at Lingfield Park came without Houlihan aboard, which is a detail worth noting.

Most of Everest's racing has come at Class 5 level — the bread-and-butter tier of the sport — and he has yet to win at that grade in seven attempts. Oddly, his winning run came in a different class of race, which hints that he may actually be slightly better suited stepping up in class rather than down. For a horse racing regularly and placing consistently, there is still a race to be won here. He just needs the right race, the right trip, and the right day.