Kingdom Calling

The interesting part is what happens when Kingdom Calling gets the right setup. Asked to go 1 mile 6 furlongs to 2 miles, he has won one of three races — a 33 per cent win rate that stands out sharply against his overall record. This suggests a horse who wants the proper distance to show what he can do, and that knowledge could be valuable to his trainer Eoin McCarthy's yard at Athea. McCarthy has had a productive season with 15 winners sent out, so there is clearly sharp judgment at the yard about where to run their horses. The jockey G B Noonan, who has partnered Kingdom Calling most often, has not yet found the winning formula in six races together, so there may be room for a fresh approach or simply for the right race to present itself.

Recent form has been mixed — he finished tenth just yesterday, though he did show up for a top-three finish in his race before that. Kingdom Calling remains active and in work, which means McCarthy clearly believes there is still something to play for. For a horse who took nearly two years to find his second win, he has at least proved he belongs in races where he gets the chance to settle in and run his race over a proper distance. That is not much, but it is something.