Fairydale

Trained by Tim Easterby at Great Habton in North Yorkshire, Fairydale runs for a yard in sparkling form this season with 128 winners already sent out. Most rides have come under jockey David Allan, though that partnership hasn't yet clicked — Allan is yet to taste victory in five attempts aboard the horse. Recent form shows the kind of consistency that can precede a breakthrough: in its last six races, Fairydale has picked up two places and finished in the money three times (8-1-5-3-7-2 from most recent backwards). That second place comes just eight days old, suggesting the horse is building momentum. The step up in class may be holding it back — Fairydale has managed no wins in three attempts at the higher Class 5 level, where the quality jumps noticeably. A drop back to lower grades, combined with a run at the distance it likes, could yield more winners in the coming weeks.