Invictus Machin

What makes Invictus Machin worth watching is the recent form. The last six runs read 2-2-9-–-2-6, and three of those results are second-place finishes. That is a horse that is consistently getting into contention — it is just not quite getting its nose in front. For a horse that has not won since August 2024, now 19 months ago, those placed efforts suggest the fire has not gone out entirely. The one blip, that pulled-up run in the sequence, is the only real concern, but the returns either side of it paint a picture of a horse that remains competitive at its level.

Jockey Kieren Buckley has been the regular partner, riding Invictus Machin in 7 of its 20 races and winning once together — a win rate of around 1 in 7. That is not a transformative partnership, but there is clearly a working relationship there built over time, and Buckley will know this horse's habits and quirks well at this stage.

The wider context is worth noting. Gavin Cromwell's yard has sent out 94 winners this season, which is a serious number — that is a busy, successful operation. The fact that Cromwell has kept Invictus Machin in training at eight years old says something. Horses do not stay in competitive yards past their prime without a reason to keep running. With three second-place finishes in its last five completed races, the team will be hoping the win that felt close in those runs eventually arrives. It has been a long wait since Kilbeggan in August 2024, but the pieces are not as far from falling into place as the headline record might suggest.