Fine As Wine

The most striking thing about this record is its consistency, just not in the way you'd hope. Fine As Wine finished last or near the back in four of its six races before showing signs of life with back-to-back third-place finishes in its two most recent runs. That uptick in form is worth noting — it suggests something may be clicking for the horse at last, even if the winner's enclosure still feels a long way off.

Benjamin Macey has been in the saddle for five of those six races, going winless across all of them together. That's not necessarily a criticism of either horse or rider — some partnerships take time to find their rhythm — but five races without a win is a significant sample. The yard behind Fine As Wine is Gary Hanmer's operation in Tattenhall, Cheshire, and it's been a productive season overall, with 19 winners sent out. Fine As Wine hasn't contributed to that tally yet, but a trainer sending out that volume of winners clearly knows what they're doing, which gives some reason to think the horse is in capable hands. The races Fine As Wine typically enters are Class 4 level — solid, competitive midfield racing, not the very top tier but not a gentle introduction either — and it has drawn a blank in all four races at that level.

The honest read on Fine As Wine right now is a horse that has found its feet after a rough start, and those two recent third-place finishes hint at improvement. Whether that translates into a first win remains to be seen, but at least it's heading in the right direction.