Hardy Warrior

His recent form, however, tells a story of inconsistency. In his last six races, he has finished 13th, third, fourth, fourth, first, and second—a chart that swings between flashes of promise and disappointment. O'Brien sees genuine ability in him, particularly over soft ground, and has hinted at a step up to the kind of Classic trials that sit below the very top tier of racing. The trainer mentioned plans to return him to a mile after a run that stretched him too far over ten furlongs, with talk of either the Tetrarch or a path toward something like the German Guineas. That language suggests O'Brien believes there is a Group race lurking in Hardy Warrior's future, though the horse will need to be more consistent to get there. He was last seen a day ago, so he remains very much active. The Owning Hill yard has been firing in winners this season—160 of them—so there is no shortage of expertise on hand to get the most out of him.