Kingdom Calling

The last six races tell the story of a horse that's starting to get it right. There was a fourth-place finish and a couple of tenth-place results mixed in there, but most telling is that fourth place came in his most recent outing, just yesterday. That's the form of a horse that's still very much in the mix, not one that's finished. When Kingdom Calling has the right setup — particularly over the longer distances of 1m6f to 2m — he becomes a genuine threat. He's won one from three races at those trips, a 33 percent win rate that stands out sharply against his overall 10 percent. The trainer clearly knows where this horse wants to be run, and he's proved it this week.

What's curious is the relationship between the horse and his regular jockey, G B Noonan. They've been together six times without a winner, which raises the question of whether a change of rider might unlock something more. But McCarthy's yard has been sending winners out at a decent clip this season—fifteen winners already—so the infrastructure is there to support the horse's improvement. At six years old, Kingdom Calling may finally be finding his feet. A horse that wins every tenth race isn't a star, but one that finds a consistent trip and starts converting chances is a horse to watch.