Knock Three Times

The recent form tells a story of a horse moving between solid efforts and tougher days. After winning at Lingfield two months ago, Knock Three Times came fourth, then fifth, then fourth again—the sort of mid-field finishes that can mean the horse is being stepped up in class or running into stronger fields. A second place came next, then fourth again, and most recently a fifth in yesterday's race. This pattern suggests the trainer, Jamie Osborne at Upper Lambourn in Berkshire, is working the horse hard and not afraid to place it in competitive races. Osborne's yard has sent out 48 winners this season, so there is decent form coming from that part of Berkshire, and Knock Three Times sits within a stable that knows how to develop young horses. Whether this one will kick on or settle as a solid hand at this level remains to be seen—but it is still early days for a two-year-old with genuine racing experience.