Londoner

What's most interesting about Londoner is how he performs on normal ground. On standard conditions, he wins roughly 1 in every 5 races (3 wins from 14)—a striking return compared to his overall record. On faster, drier ground he struggles. He also has a clear distance sweet spot: over 1m3f to 1m4f he has won 2 of his last 19 races in that range, which tells you that is where he belongs. The trouble is, he has not won since April—four months ago at Lingfield Park. In his last six races he has picked up a couple of second-place finishes and a few placings lower down, but nothing close to another victory. He was last out just yesterday, finishing fourth, which suggests his yard is still searching for the right race.

Kubler's yard at Lambourn has sent out 34 winners this season, so there is form and know-how there. The trainer bought Londoner at a horses in training sale last autumn and won a valuable race with him at Newcastle. Where Londoner goes from here depends on finding the right conditions—normal ground, the right distance, a race at an honest level. If the yard can thread that needle, there may yet be a fourth win in him.