King of Thunder

What stands out is King of Thunder's clear preference for slightly soft ground. On tracks with a bit of give underfoot, he has won 2 of 3 races, a remarkable 67% win rate that tells you exactly the conditions to watch for. This is the sort of detail that matters: plenty of horses improve dramatically on the right surface, and when a young horse shows this kind of pattern, it is worth remembering. His recent form has been volatile — a win, then a fourth-place finish, then a sixth — but the win at Chester last week suggests he is trending the right way after a slower patch through the summer.

King of Thunder is being trained by Hugo Palmer, whose Malpas yard is having a strong season with 67 winners already. Palmer has a good eye for improving young horses, and the fact that King of Thunder won at Haydock back in October before finding his feet again at Chester indicates the horse has real ability lurking beneath the inconsistent runs. At just 3 years old, he is still maturing, and with softer ground likely coming through the autumn and winter months, this could be a horse worth following.