Horantzau d'Airy

What makes Horantzau d'Airy worth watching, though, is the sheer volume of placed efforts. Thirteen times in 24 races this horse has finished close enough to matter — that is more than half its career spent in the frame. It rarely embarrasses itself. It just has a habit of finding one or two too good on the day, which is either a testament to its consistency or a source of considerable frustration depending on how you look at it.

The partnership with Paul Townend tells one of the better stories here. Townend has ridden this horse in 10 of its 24 races and has been aboard for both wins — a 20% win rate together, or 2 from 10, which is a genuinely strong return and suggests there is something about that combination that works. When Edmunds's yard reaches for their best option, Townend is clearly the name they want in the saddle, and it is hard to argue with the results when they have clicked.

At the top level — Class 1, the biggest races in the calendar — the record is 0 from 3, which is not a surprise. Those races attract the very best, and Horantzau d'Airy has not yet managed to convert. But the fact it keeps turning up in that company says something about how the team views it. Edmunds has had a productive season, sending out 26 winners, and this horse remains part of the active squad, having raced just 18 days ago. The recent form reads 11-dash-8-2-13-9, which is patchy, though that second place suggests the spark is not entirely out. At nine, the window may be narrowing, but this is a horse that rarely runs badly and occasionally runs brilliantly — and that second place is worth keeping an eye on.