Hunterian

What is encouraging about Hunterian's recent form is the pattern of his placings. In his last six runs, he has finished outside the first three only once, and that was a seventh-place finish. He came second, then third, then sixth again before that. He places more often than he wins, which tells you he is a horse who stays competitive in a race but often gets caught in the final strides or lacks the acceleration to go from second to first. He was last active just a day ago, so the yard are keeping him sharp and racing regularly rather than giving him long breaks between outings.

Charlie Johnston's Middleham Moor yard has been firing on all cylinders this season with 131 winners to their name, and Hunterian is being given every chance to join that tally. The challenge now is whether he can convert those regular placings into more victories. At three years old, he still has time to develop and improve his closing kick — but the gap between placing and winning is often the hardest one for a horse to bridge.