Jongleur d'Etoiles

His recent form tells a story of hot and cold stretches. Last week he won at Uttoxeter, but the two races before that were a blank and a second-place finish, suggesting he is prone to inconsistency. Over his last six outings he has one win, two places, and two no-shows — the kind of erratic record that keeps a horse interesting but frustrating. He typically competes in Class 4 races, where he has won 2 of 9 attempts (22%), a fair return at that level.

Jockey Richie McLernon has partnered him in 14 races and won 4 of them (29%), a notably better win rate than the horse's overall figures, which hints that they work well together. Trainer Neil Mulholland, based at Limpley Stoke in Wiltshire, describes him as a character — "a bit of a playboy" who reared up in the winner's enclosure but has improved markedly. Mulholland has schooled him over fences and believes he has the makings of a chaser, with the trainer noting that he jumps well and stays the distance. An awkward first outing at Fontwell aside, the picture is of a maturing horse with scope to step up.