Fantastic Fox

The thing about Fantastic Fox is that he has a real edge on certain ground. On normal, standard conditions, he has won three of his thirteen races — a 23 percent win rate that is nearly double his overall average. That statistic matters because it tells you where to watch for him: when the going is neither hard nor wet, he becomes genuinely dangerous. By contrast, he has never won in 25 races at Class 2 level, the top tier of competition, suggesting that while he is handy enough at mid-range tracks, elite opposition finds him out. Roger Varian's Newmarket yard, which has sent out 87 winners this season, appears to have found the right races for him, even if they are not the showpiece events.

Aidan Keeley has ridden him twice and won aboard him both times — a small sample, but it hints that there may be a useful partnership there. Fantastic Fox was only a maiden until October 2023, when he finally broke his duck at Chelmsford, but since then he has proved durable and genuine. He raced just a day ago and remains in active work, which means his next chance is close. For a horse in his eighth year, his consistency and hunger are admirable; he is the kind of solid, reliable performer that keeps racing yards ticking over, a horse who may never win a top race but will always find a way to put in an honest effort.