Juan Bermudez

Across all races, Juan Bermudez wins roughly 1 in every 5 outings, which is respectable enough for a mid-tier competitor. It also finishes in the places regularly — 13 placings from 32 races means it gets around the track and shows up in the frame. Most of its racing happens in Class 4 company, where it has won 2 of 15 races, though it has proven capable of bigger things: it won a Class 2 race at Newmarket on 20 October 2021, its first career victory, which immediately stamped it as a horse worth watching.

Henry Oliver trains Juan Bermudez from Abberley in Worcestershire. Recent form has been patchy — over the last six races, the best result was a win, but there have been three third-place finishes and a pair of seconds either side. The horse was last seen just a day ago and is still in active training, suggesting Oliver thinks there is more to come. Lilly Pinchin, who has ridden Juan Bermudez eight times, holds a win from those mounts. A horse that dominates at one particular track and keeps its trainer hopeful after seven years in racing is exactly the kind that can deliver a surprise on home turf.