Le Rouge Chinois

The best picture of this horse comes from its Class 5 record, where it has won 2 of 13 races—about 15 per cent—suggesting it can compete and win at this level, even if only rarely. Its two victories tell the story of a horse that peaked early: the first came at Lingfield Park on 20 January 2024, but since a win at Nottingham on 27 June that same year, Le Rouge Chinois has not returned to the winner's circle. That is now nearly two and a half years without a victory, and its last six races show a horse struggling to find form: third, second, second, fifth, fifth, and eighth. The two placings in that sequence hint at occasional promise, but they have not translated into wins.

Michael Appleby's Oakham yard has sent out 71 winners this season, yet Le Rouge Chinois remains stuck on two career victories. Alistair Rawlinson, who rides the horse most often, has won just once in six races together—a 17 per cent rate, fractionally better than the horse's overall record but hardly a glowing endorsement. Le Rouge Chinois is still active and raced just a day ago, which suggests there is still belief somewhere in the team, but the weight of the numbers tells a familiar story: a horse that has had many chances and has made the most of very few of them.