Gustoso

The horse's last six runs tell a story of struggle. He finished seventh, then sixth, then second, missed a race, finished first, and then sixth again. That win — his most recent — was the highlight of a lean spell, but he has not added to his tally in the 22 months since. When he races in Class 4 events, the sort of mid-range contests where he spends most of his time, he wins roughly once every seven attempts, which is in line with his overall record and suggests he is operating at his true level.

Sam Twiston-Davies, one of the most respected jump jockeys in the game, has ridden Gustoso six times and won once aboard him — a respectable 17 per cent win rate from their partnership. That single success hints that the combination works when the pieces fall right, though it has not happened often enough to become a pattern. Daly's yard, based in Shropshire, has been productive this season with 17 winners, so the infrastructure is there. For Gustoso, the question now is whether he can string together better form and find another winning window before age catches up with him.