Ffree Pedro

What makes this particularly striking is the level at which Ffree Pedro competes. Class 5 is the bottom rung of British racing — these are the races designed to give horses exactly like this one a fighting chance. And yet across six attempts at that level, the record still reads zero wins from six. The most recent form figures make for sobering reading too: a sixth place, a ninth, and a string of finishes so far back they don't even register a number. Three days ago the horse was out again, which at least confirms that the team still believes there is a race to be won somewhere.

At ten years old, Ffree Pedro is well into the veteran stage. Most horses at this age have either found their niche or quietly retired. The fact that this one is still active and still competing is something, even if the results have not followed. Whether a first win is coming remains very much an open question — but the answer has been "not yet" for ten races and counting.