Feet On The Ground

The recent form paints a familiar picture. A third and a second feature in the last six runs, along with a fourth and a tenth, plus two unfinished efforts. It is the kind of form that keeps you interested without ever quite delivering. The second place in particular suggests the winning line is not far away — but "not far away" and "over it" are very different things in racing.

Jockey Jonathan Burke has had the ride seven times and is yet to win aboard the horse, which tells its own story. That is seven attempts together with nothing to show for it — a partnership that has clearly built familiarity without yet finding the breakthrough. Burke is an experienced rider, so this is less about horsemanship and more about a horse that simply seems to find one too good on the day.

Feet On The Ground races at Class 5 level, which is the entry-level tier of British racing — these are races designed for horses that have not shown top-end ability. Going 0 from 6 at that level is notable, because Class 5 is precisely where you would expect a horse to find its best chance of winning. Trainer Fergal O'Brien, based in Gloucestershire, is clearly no stranger to winners — his yard has sent out 90 of them already this season, which is a serious operation by any measure. The talent is in the yard. Feet On The Ground just has not tapped into it yet.

Raced as recently as yesterday, this horse is very much an active puzzle. Somewhere in those six places is a horse that clearly tries — it just needs one day when everything clicks and there is no one faster on the day.